What If Felicity
by Fawkes Devaue
Summary: All the possible "what if?" situations and moments that could happen between Felicity and Oliver. Takes place during season 1and continues into season 2. It may branch off to include future seasons as well. A series of unrelated one-shots. Please, read and review. You input is always welcome!
1. Chapter 1

Hello,

For those of you who have been following my little project here, "What if Felicity…" don't worry. I just needed to put some of the newer chapter in a new order. I'm a bit OCD about this kind of thing and I wanted to keep all the one-shots in order of when I pictured them happening. I'll be re-posting everything as soon as possible. The chapter/one-shot that I'm currently working on takes place in season one and I wanted to put it as the first one-shot, but had to delete the others before I could. So, no one panic! Everything will be back up and running.

Also, I completely forgot to put up a disclaimer at the beginning of this collection of one-shots. So, I figured now was as good a time as any.

I do not own the TV show "Arrow" or anything affiliated with it. Any situations or new characters that you see are mine, but everything else belongs to the CW, Producers, and Writers of the "Arrow." Thank you all for your patience and understanding. I'll be updating again as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Fawkes Devaue.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I never liked how Laurel treated Oliver from the beginning of the show. I mean, the guys comes home after being shipwrecked on an island for five years and she wishes he had gone through that for far longer than that. I believe her exact words were, "I'd hoped you'd rot in Hell a lot longer than five years." Her reaction is understandable, a bit harsh, but I think she's moved on a lot more than Oliver has had the chance to. She had five years to grieve and be angry, while he had to force a lot of his emotions down in order to survive, so he did not have the luxury of moving on that she did. I understand that when Laurel says that, "I couldn't be angry because she was dead. I couldn't grieve because I was so angry. That's what happens when your sister dies while screwing your boyfriend." It does make sense – at first – but I would think that after five years and thinking both Sara and Oliver were dead that she would have tried to move on by then. Which refers to my original idea that Laurel is stuck in the past and hell bent on keeping Oliver in the past with her, instead of moving on. So, with the whole idea of "moving on" I came up with this little short-story. Takes place in season one, episode one, the pilot.**

**I have re-ordered the chapters in the hopes of keeping them all in order of when they could've happened, that way there is no confusion. Please, read and review! I love hearing from you guys. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did with writing it. **

**I: Mrs. Queen**

_**Part I) Salvation…**_

Oliver ran, his limbs going numb and feeling like dead weight, he ran for his life once again from Fyers and his men. He'd been running for three days, stopping every now and then to take a stand, fight and kill off as many as he could before he'd run off again. He'd been picking them off one at a time for the last few months. When Fyers finally figured out that in the last year Oliver had killed almost half of his men, he came looking for him. What had once been a small army of mercenaries was now only a couple dozen since Oliver had started on his last crusade of survival.

There was just one problem. The weather. If Oliver had to hazard a guess, in just a few short hours a hurricane would hit the small island of Lian Yau. He needed to find shelter and quick, but Fyers men were still hot on his tail…

Oliver awoke, hissing in pain at the aches and strain in his muscles, atop something hard and metallic. It looked like one of the rusted out wings from the crashed plane that he had called his home for the last four years. Memories from the last night resurfaced. The hurricane had ripped apart the remains of the plane that had once been overgrown with vines. It had crashed on the island long before Oliver or Slade had ever been there. Probably from World War II. Now, like the plane wing he now floated on in the ocean – shallow waters since he could see clear to the sea floor, so he must be close to shore – the rest of the plane was probably torn to pieces. He sat up on the large metal floatation device and took a look around him. He could see about a quarter of a mile ahead where land was, but it was not Lian Yau that he was floating back to. It was a different island, by the shape of it and from his memory of Sara's description from two years ago; he'd take an educated guess that it was the island she had once been stranded on – Salvation. He looked behind him and could see the faint outline of another island, his island – Lian Yau, mandarin for Purgatory.

The down side was that all the supplies that he and Slade had acquired over the years were back on said island and now Oliver would have to start from scratch. The up side was that he had his bow – he'd have to make some more arrows from scratch – and now he was nowhere near Fyers and his men. He could only pray that Salvation was a much more peaceful island than Purgatory…without any mercenaries.

When his metal raft finally made it to shore he clambered off of it. It took him a couple of seconds for him to get from his sea legs and back to his land legs, they were a bit limp and shaky from lying on a floating raft for an entire night. He quickly found a few strong, straight pieces of drift wood that he was able to make into five short-handed spears – temporary until he could make himself some arrows – that were only about three/four feet long. He swung his bow over his head and let the wood side hang against his back while the thick cord ran along his barely covered chiseled chest, only the green hood that had belonged to Yau Fee and then his daughter, Shado, gave his upper body shelter from the harshness of the weather and jungle; the sleeves of the hood had long ago been cut off, leaving his strong arms completely bare.

Oliver made his way quietly through the jungle like forests of Salvation, keeping his eyes open and his other senses on high alert for any suspicious sounds. For hours he searched this new island for any signs of life, of any other human being that he might happen upon, but he found nothing. Until he came upon a small cave that had a few objects of little value money wise, but of great value in order to survive while stranded on a remote island. A small pocketknife (the handle looked as if it were made of mother of pearl shell), a slightly larger hunting knife (its handle was a perfect white that could easily be mistaken for porcelain, but was what Oliver could see was really ivory), against the wall of the cave was a skinny sniper rifle, and finally a set of small easily concealable throwing knives.

He was not alone of this island; he just hoped that whoever it was going to be on peaceful terms. His thoughts were interrupted when his feet were pulled right out from under him, his collection of hand-made spears fell to the stone and dirt floor of the cave with a clatter, as he was lifted high up – a net of rope surrounding his vision. A small petite dark figure came towards him then, covered head to toe in what looked like desert garb – a black scarf wrapped around their face – their footsteps quiet and graceful. He tried to get a better look at his captor, but before he could, Oliver was struck firmly across the head with something hard.

Oliver awoke again later that night to find himself tied to a small wooden chair. His captor stood across from him, back facing him, as he rummaged around a small box of what looked like the same supplies he had seen in the cave. Taking a sharp look around, Oliver realized that he was not in the cave anymore, instead he was surrounded my wood – the floors, ceiling, and walls all made of pine and bamboo. It looked like a large bungalow of some sorts. He tested his restraints and noticed that they were tight and securely tied, but it was still just rope. He could easily break free, and that's exactly what he did. He gathered his strength, took a deep breath and as he let it out, he pulled his arms – which had been tied behind his back – forward with a sharp tug. As soon as he was free he lurched forward, grabbed the small pocket knife that had been in the cave and now lay harmlessly on a table next to his captor. His arms banded around who ever this stranger was and placed the knife against their throat. He was hell bent on demanding who they were and why they had kidnapped him, but paused when he heard a sharp high pitched yelp. The rest of Oliver's body seemed to catch up just as his brain was. The arms he had wrapped securely around his captor – or was he the captor now? – to trap their movements, had come against something that he had not expected…a bosom. His captor was a woman, who noticed his brief hesitation and took the moment to reverse their position. Now the knife was poised perfectly at Oliver's throat, but not before he had the chance to rip the black scarf that had concealed her face.

Dark hair, tips died a faded blond – she must have been on the island for a while now, for her hair to grow out enough to reveal that the blond was not her natural hair color – spilled from its covering and down to her waist. Sharp piercing cat-like green almond shaped eyes. Perfect lips and a face of sharp angles with a pointed nose and chin. Beautiful…

That was Oliver's last thoughts before she got the drop on him…again.

_**Part 2) Slade Wilson…**_

Oliver had run into – literally – Slade Wilson after his first six months on the island of Lian Yau. They had been friends, survivors, and brothers in arms for three years. Until the worst had happened. For an entire year they had worked and fought alongside each other flawlessly. Slade had become not just a friend but a mentor, too. He taught him how to survive and fight to the best of his abilities. When Sara Lance – the girl he had taken onto his family's yhat, the Queen's Gambit, right before he had been shipwreck and whom he thought had died during the sinking of the Gambit – reappeared during his second year on Lian Yau, that was when the real horrors had started.

His first year on the island had been hell, true – he had faced Edward Fyers and his army of mercenaries, torture, starvation in his early weeks of being stranded, and not to mention the lives he'd been forced to take in order to survive – but his second year was the start of the real pain he had been forced to suffer through on the island.

Just a couple months after learning that Sara was alive and well, or as well as she could be considering their situation, they had all faced a deadly enemy by the name of Ivo. Their final face off with him had been the worst. Ivo had forced Oliver to choose between his _friend_, Shado (she had become a sort of physical and emotional comfort to Oliver) and his ex-girlfriend's sister, Sara – or he would shoot them both.

He hadn't truly chosen one of them. When he saw Ivo hold the gun up to Sara, his body simply reacted and he threw himself in front of her to protect her. Ivo had taken that single act as his choice, and he shot Shado right in the head. He had watched her die and had been helpless to do anything about it. That hadn't been the worst of the situation, either. Just a few hours before Shado's death, Slade had admitted his true feelings to her – he loved her.

For the next year and a half Oliver had kept the truth from his friend, that he had been the reason Shado was dead. When Slade had found out, he had taken his vengeance out on Sara and killed her. Oliver never found her body; Slade had dumped it into the ocean.

Now it was not just Fyers and his men that were trying to hunt Oliver down and kill him, but Slade as well. For the last year he had run from both Fyers and Slade, but since he was now away from Lian Yau, he only preyed that neither would find him, or the woman – Felicity Smoak – that he had come to love so deeply (more deeply than he had ever felt for Laurel).

_**Part 3) Felicity Smoak…**_

Felicity Smoak was one of a kind. Her bright and colorful personality drew people to her like moth to a flame, that is until she opened her mouth and started babbling; that's when people tended to run as far away from her as fast as possible. She was a genius. At the tender age of thirteen she had cracked all twelve firewalls on the Pentagon's net-server. She graduated high school at sixteen and had immediately attended MIT. From there she earned her PhD in computer science and firewall algorithms. When she was twenty she'd received a job in the IT Department of Luthor Corp. working on special technology projects for Lex Luthor personally.

However, a year later she discovered secret files belonging to Mr. Luthor on a special project to destroy Superman/The Man of Steel as well as another project on making nuclear weapons out of Kryptonite. She had immediately taken her information to the Daily Planet and handed it over to her old friend from high school; Lois Lane – it was well known that Lois knew Superman and had interviewed him many times – who she hoped would alert Superman/The Man of Steel of the very real danger to him and the world. A week later Lex had sent her on an assignment out of town to the north of China for some mysterious tech project.

Felicity should have seen it coming. She should have known better then to take Lex Luthor of all people at his word. She should never have gotten on the plane, but she did. She could still remember that fateful day when her life had changed forever…

_The plane shook again, tremors running through its metal structure as if it were nothing more than a limp piece of paper. Felicity was the only one on the plane other than the pilots, or so she had thought. When she heard a loud popping noise come from cockpit, Felicity had had enough of the mystery. She had just gotten to her feet when the man dressed from head to toe in black – black shirt, black shoes, black pant, and black jacket – coming out of the cockpit. She briefly recognized him as one of the two captains piloting the plane, before he sauntered over the front side door of the plane. Only then did she notice what looked like a backpack on his back._

_A loud frightened scream left her lungs when he opened the door. Ducking her head against her arms when the plane shook so violently that it lurched all the way forward and it took all of her strength not to fall flat on her face. When she looked back up, he was gone and she was scared to death at this point. The plane lurched again, only this time it didn't stop…_

Felicity honestly couldn't tell you how she survived the plane crash. Her only theory was that the plane had been flying too low for gravity to truly have any effect on the outcome of the crash, making the land simply extremely bumpy and mind shattering. The plane had crashed on the south side of the island, Salvation, against the ocean water and towards a row of cliffs on the side of the island. The plane was still there, with a few holes and places of burnt metal, and relatively intact minus its wings.

She had only been on the island for a year before she'd run across Oliver Queen. It had certainly been the most eventful and surprising of introductions, what with the both of them being so worried about the other having more sinister ideas like murder.

For a year she and Oliver, who had already been stranded on a neighboring island for the last four years, leaned on each other for support. From the stories Oliver had eventually told her of his own island, they had both prayed that they would have no unsavory experiences while together.

_**Part 4) A Picture Worth A 1,000 Words…**_

Felicity and Oliver made their way through the brush and vines of the jungle, hunting for food in a wild boar or other forest creature. Oliver was graceful, despite his large masculine frame, as he moved. Felicity had lost a bit of her grace as she tried to keep up with Oliver's long strides. She almost ran right into his stiff back when he stopped suddenly and dropped to his knees on the forest floor. Felicity quickly followed suit. His gaze was sure as he was drawn to an area a few feet away from their position. He drew an arrow from the quiver lying across his back and aimed. With perfect precision he shot the wild boar right in the skull. The arrow penetrated through one side and out the other.

"Nice shot!" whispered Felicity excitedly. Oliver turned his head enough for her to see the smirk/smile that graced his rugged scruffy face. Oliver was not used to praise when it came to killing another creature. He had always carried an air of guilt around him even when it came to killing something as trivial as an animal for food. When he had finally come across Felicity six months ago he'd learned to be human again. After the multitude of hardships and horrors he'd been forced to witness Oliver had learned to shut his emotions off completely, becoming something cold and deadly instead. Now, he remembered and knew what it was like to laugh again. He felt a sense of…peace?...content?...happiness?...when he was around Felicity. Oliver's thoughts were interrupted by Felicity's bell like voice – it was clear and soft – and he couldn't help the slight smile that tilted over his mouth. He always seemed to be smiling around her. "You have your serious Robin Hood face on."

"My what?" Oliver couldn't help the word's coming out in a breathless chuckle at her choice of words. He knew the irony of them, what with his fascination and expertise in archery.

"Your serious Robin Hood face. It's the same as your, 'Hey its Tuesday face'." Felicity spoke in a matter of fact manner, as if the answer was so obvious.

"Oh, I see. You think I'm too serious." Oliver began to frown. He hoped it was a good kind of serious, the way she viewed him. He had never liked the idea of Felicity disliking anything about him. Which was why he kept a lot of his past a secret. She knew the hardships he'd faced, the tragedy and torture, but not the bad things he had done – the man he was before the island – before he'd been shipwrecked. He meant to keep it that way.

"Well, yeah…you are, but I like it. You have this whole strong silent tortured aura about you. Like Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. IT's really sexy, actually and…" Felicity paused when she caught a look at Oliver's face when she'd called him sexy, realizing that she had started babbling…again. "Seriously! Why don't you ever stop me?" She covered her face with her hands in the hopes of hiding her blush.

Oliver found himself drawn into her personal space. He reached up and took her hands gently from her face. "Because…I like it. It's cute." Felicity gave him one of her dazzling smiles. He loved her smiles, just like he loved everything else about her. In fact, he loved…

Oliver shook his head at his thoughts. Thoughts that frightened him. confusion suddenly rushing through him at what he'd almost admitted to in his mind. Yes, Felicity had awoken something in him that had been dead for the last few years of Purgatory. Instead of dwelling on the strange emotions that had been twisting inside of him ever since he'd first laid eyes of Felicity Smoak, Oliver bent down and lifted the small dead wild boar over his broad shoulders, fallowing directly behind Felicity as they made their way back to their bungalow treehouse.

Later that night as Oliver sat on the other side of their makeshift home on a small cot placed in the far corner. Felicity's cot was in the opposite corner. A small metal tray sat in the middle of the treehouse with a few burning blocks of wood in it, giving off a much needed heat. He watched the steady rise and fall of Felicity's chest as she slept soundly. He took a moment to glance down at the faded and nearly distorted picture of Laurel Lance – his ex-girlfriend (or at least he assumed she was now his ex, considering he'd been MIA for the last four and a half years) –that was crinkled in his hand. He'd carried it around for so long as a reminder of what it was he was surviving for, what he wanted to get back home to.

Even when he'd become involved sexually with Shado, Oliver's heart had belonged to Laurel and Shado understood that. His relationship with Sara, Laurel's younger sister, had practically been non-existent (at least on a romantic level; they'd grown to be close friends thought before her death). When he'd taken her onto the Queen's Gambit he'd had every intention of sleeping with her and therefore sabotaging his relationship with Laurel. They'd never had the chance since the yhat ended up sinking before they could get too physical, but his intention had been clear and for that he'd felt guilty. Even when he'd fought alongside Slade, Shado, and Sara his entire purpose was to survive in order to get back home to Laurel. That was his only goal.

However, these last few months had opened his heart and mind to a lot of revelations. Like how he had been holding on to the image of Laurel as if it was a flotation device, a piece of hope for him to hang on to in such a desperate time. Now, for the first time in years, he's accepted his fate and he didn't care. He didn't care about getting back home, about fixing things with Laurel, or about escaping the island. No, because he had everything he needed right here and now.

Oliver glanced over to Felicity's sleeping form before his arms swept out and let the picture fall into the flaming abyss. He watched the picture of Laurel, of home, burn and he felt a large weight lift from his shoulders. He was happy. He was at peace. He was content.

It wouldn't last.

_**Part 5) Going Home…**_

Oliver glanced back as he raced along the shore of Lian Yau. Felicity had been able to intercept the radio of a passing fishing boat when the worst had happened. They had had to return to Lian Yau in order to catch the fishing vessel in time. They'd been successful in killing off the rest Fyers' men, but had not expected to run into Slade.

It didn't take long for Slade to figure out the relationship between Felicity and Oliver. They were in love. Madly. Hopelessly. Irrevocably in love. And so he used that to his advantage.

Oliver kept running until he had the perfect position to shoot the flaming arrow into the tower of wood he'd built. Once the fire was blazing against the shore he ran back the few yards to Felicity's side. She was still pale from Slade's treatment. He'd kidnapped Felicity and used her as bait to draw Oliver out to him. It had worked, partly. When he'd rescued her she had been bad off. At least three broken ribs (it was a miracle they hadn't punctured a lung), a broken arm, and a concussion. He lifted her limp unconscious form into his arms and walked towards the large fishing boat that had made it to shore.

They were going home.

Moira Queen stood outside her son's hospital room as she spoke to the Queen's family doctor. "You must understand, Moira, that the man they found on the island may not be the same man you lost five years ago. He is your son. It is Oliver. But, by the amount of scars and old wounds our tests found, we can only imagine what he faced for all those years. The person he is now will not be the same as when he left. 30% of his body is covered in scar tissue. His back has at least three second and third degree burns. There are at least twenty different breaks and fractures that never properly healed." Moira closed her eyes in sadness as the doctor listed all the wounds her son would have to carry for the rest of his life. She heard the doctor take a deep breath and sigh before she opened her eyes again. "And that's just the physical damage. There is a strong likelihood that he'll suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Plus, the mystery woman he brought with him." That grabbed Moira's attention immediately.

"What woman?" her voice holding absolute curiosity.

"A young woman by the name of Felicity Smoak. She was injured just before they were rescued. She's the one lying on the other bed inside Mr. Queen's room." The doctor pointed to the bed that was half hidden by a hospital curtain and Moira looked on in shock. "He said…well, he said she's his wife." Moira look of shock seemed to silence the doctor as he left her then to give her time to speak with her son.

"Oliver," said Moira as she entered the hospital room. Her son was standing at the foot of the bed with Felicity Smoak in it, gazing out the large window and into the darkness of the night. At her voice, Oliver turned and smiled.

"Mom." His voice was soft and rough at the same time. Like a thick whisper.

"Oh, my darling boy!" Moira embraced her son, large tears falling silently down her face. When their embrace ended she chanced a proper glance at the girl in the bed before she took a good look at her son. When she looked into his eyes she knew that he knew that she had some questions for him.

"It's a long story."

"We have all the time in the world."

Oliver and Felicity were released from the car of the hospital three days later. Felicity was very nervous in meeting Oliver's little sister, Thea, but Walter and Moira had assured her that Thea was very excited in meeting her. Thea had always wanted a big sister to look up to. Oliver never left her side throughout the entire first day of returning to Queen Manner.

Felicity had been shocked by its enormity in size. It was like every girl's dream castle. What was even more surprising was the fact that Thea had spent the last three days stocking up on Oliver and Felicity's wardrobe – it was her welcome home gift to them.

When diner rolled around Oliver was beyond nervous and worried. He hadn't seen Felicity since that morning. Thea had stolen her away to get to know her. Now, as he sat down with his family and best friend, Tommy Merlyn, for diner he was contemplating a search and rescue when Tommy turned to him and asked, "Are we expecting another guest?"

Oliver frowned. "What?"

"Well, I know we're waiting on Thea, but there is another place setting next to hers. Are we expecting someone else?" asked Tommy, curiosity written clearly on his face. This made Oliver realize that Tommy had not yet learned about him being married. Oliver smiled and felt a sense of amusement of how his friend would soon react.

"Yes, we are. Oliver brought someone home with him from the island." Moira spoke with a hidden smile gracing her lips. She must have guessed along the same lines as Oliver considering she gave him a secret wink. Oliver could see Walter trying to hide a smile as he whipped his mouth on his napkin.

"Oh, cool. Some hot amazon jungle chick. Awesome! You mind if I ask her out?" Tommy spoke jokingly.

"Well, she is extremely beautiful, and we did live in a jungle – so to speak – but no, you may not ask her out." Oliver spoke the last words as seriously as possible.

"Oh, come on, man. Fine. Do you have dibs first or something?" Oliver knew Tommy was only joking, but the mere idea of another man trying to woe his Felicity away from him made him tense in silent fury.

"Yes, considering she is my wife." Oliver said in deadpanned. He couldn't help the smirk that burst through his lips when he saw Tommy spit the wine he had just taken a sip of. Just then Felicity walked in with Thea to see an amused Oliver and a spluttering Tommy.

The next morning Oliver and Tommy found themselves at CNRI. Even though Oliver was very much over Laurel, he still wanted to at least apologize to her. So, here he was standing alone on the sidewalk as he watched Laurel walk furiously away from him after their little confrontation. But he felt nothing. What was done, was done and there was nothing he could do to change that. Nor would he want. He was happy now. Speaking of which, Oliver chose that precise moment to turn around in time to see Felicity walking towards him just a few yards away. Her hair was back to the blond that he had first seen her in, and her wardrobe was just as colorful as she had always wanted it to be. He smiled as the light of his life walked towards him with purpose and a radiant smile on her face.

Meanwhile, Laurel stomped around her office cubicle at CNRI while Tommy tried to keep her calm. "Honestly! He thinks that saying sorry will make everything better! And if he so much as thinks he can charm his way back into my…"

"Whoa! I'm gonna stop you right there. Listen, I know that all of this is a lot to take in, but don't you think you're being a bit harsh?" Tommy tried to keep his voice neutral and non-judgmental.

"Are you kidding me now Merlyn! This is classic Oliver behavior. He screws up, then apologizes and tries to…"

"Ok, he's not going to try anything with you…romantically. Especially considering…" Tommy's voice was interrupted by the large TV that was constantly playing the news in the middle of the room of CNRI as a reporter spoke:

"Breaking news! Oliver Queen has settled down! Young Mr. Queen returned home from being shipwrecked for five years with a mystery woman by the name of Felicity Smoak, now Felicity Queen. Yes, you heard right. Oliver Queen is married…"

Laurel froze as she listened to what was being said before she whipped around to look at Tommy with wide eyes.

"Yeah, that's what I was trying to tell you."

**A/N: So, apparently I am not allowed to post my "rants" as chapters because it violates some silly rule or something. Anyway, I decided to post my rants at the end of certain chapters instead, that way it doesn't violate the rule. Just wanted to make you all aware that is why things have been re-ordered…again. You can thank a certain Guest review for this, because they threatened to shut-down my story if I didn't fix this. Thank you for reading.**

Rant I: Not Worthy…

So, I was not always a Superhero fan. I have never once read a comic book, and it wasn't until I was 12 years old (2005) that I was even introduced to the Superhero world. MY very first Superhero film that I was exposed to was Batman Begins which helped shape all my expectations for other Superheroes. A friend of mine later got me into the Smallville TV show. I kept up with the two following films directed by Christopher Nolan revolving around the Batman story (The Dark Knight/The Dark Knight Rises), and of course I have seen the new Superman film Man of Steel. Being a big Robert Downey Jr. fan I was also very entertained by the Tony Stark story in Ironman. The only information I knew about Green Arrow, came from my watching Smallville on-and-off throughout its 10 year series run. So, when Arrow came to television I was greatly, and pleasantly, surprised.

However, when it comes to the women of these Superheroes, I admit to being greatly disappointed. I feel that they always fall short and end up not deserving such heroic and honorable men. First, in the Christopher Nolan Batman Trilogy with Rachel Dawes, Miranda Tate/Talia Al Ghul, and ending with Selena Kyle. Now having watched Arrow, I have found a lot of parallels between Rachel Dawes and Laurel Lance: both childhood sweethearts of their men, both tall-leggy-brunette-model look, both seem to be perfect in every way and yet they lead to men on. Much like Lana Lang from Smallville.

So, here is a list of reasons as to why all these women (Rachel Dawes, Margaret Tate/Talia Al Ghul, Selena Kyle, Lana Lang, Helena Berteneli, Laurel Lance, & Isabel Rochev) do NOT deserve the heroes that they are associated with.

Rachel Dawes is NOT worthy of Bruce Wayne because: first off she leaves him alone at the beginning of Batman Begins with Carmine Falcone (Bruce could've been shot, beaten, killed, or all of the above – not a very good friend if you ask me) which in turn gives Bruce the chance to run away. Then when Bruce returns a changed man and becomes a hero she can't accept it or his methods, however she gives him hope that they could be together on the day that Gotham no longer needs Batman. Too bad for Mr. Wayne because a year later Rachel shacks up with the new District Attorney (DA), Harvey Dent (who just happens to be her boss; also, for those of you who noticed her little exchange with the DA before Harvey in Batman Begins which strongly hinted at her being involved with her first boss). The whole time she is with Harvey she is still leading Bruce on and making him think that there is a chance for them (she even kisses him)! Then when Bruce decides to let Harvey be bait, Rachel loses all respect for him and leaves behind a very harsh letter.

Miranda Tate/Talia Al Ghul is NOT worthy of Bruce Wayne because: she goes completely crazy and tries to destroy the entire city of Gotham. Enough said!

Selena Kyle/Catwoman is NOT worthy of Bruce Wayne because: first she steals his finger prints (as well as his mother's pearls – a big "No! No!" in my book) and gives them to John Dagget, who in turn give them to Bane. Bane uses said fingerprints to crash the entire Gotham Stock Market. So, Selena is essentially responsible for the entire city of Gotham to go into an economic depression. She betrays Batman and hands him over to Bane in order to save her own skin – in doing this she causes Bruce to be captured with a broken back. Since there is no one else who is willing to truly stand up to Bane now that Batman has been taken, Bane is able to whole Gotham for ransom. It is not till the end that Selena joins the side of good and help save Gotham, but she still contemplates abandoning the battle at one point. All the while blaming Bruce and the other elite rich like him for her crappy life – she thinks they are all the same. I wonder if she even realizes that a lot of the world's millionaires and billionaires were once poor, too. Also, there are a lot of rich people who give back to the world – Bill Gates, J.K. Rowling, Opera, Ellen, etc.

Lana Lang is NOT worthy of Clark Kent because: she was literally the girl next door for Clark. He had been in love with her since he became aware of girls. When he realized his powers he would spend the next 8 years saving from one thing or another. At first she didn't really notice him, then they were friends, but when they finally got together she couldn't stand the fact that he was keeping secrets from her. So, he tells her his big bad secret…and she Freaks out and they break up! She starts dating her high school's football coach, while she is still a student. When Clark finally meets Lois Lane, Lana is constantly holding him back and getting in the way. The biggest and worst thing she did wrong was marrying Lex Luthor – Clark Kent/Superman's mortal enemy! Plus the fact that she lead him on for 8 years.

Helena Berteneli is NOT worthy of Oliver Queen because: she goes psycho in her revenge against her father and tries to kill anyone who gets in her way. Plus, she threatened Felicity! Enough Said!

Laurel Lance is NOT worthy of Oliver Queen: on the level of a human being, she is a really good person who loves to help people. However, as an individual she is seriously screwed up! First of she is relatively narrow minded and jumps from one thing to another in the most extreme – she either hates you or loves, it is never in between. While I can personally understand her anger towards Oliver for sleeping with her sister (I know because I too have been cheated on), however she can't seem to get over this. I'm not saying she should just flat out forgive him for it, but she needs to move on from it – not let it rule her life (plus, she really needs to stop bringing it up almost every time she talks to Oliver; I think he's made up for it enough). She appears to hold all and any blame for the cheating incident on Oliver's shoulders, despite the fact that her own sister did make her own choice to go with Oliver on the Queen's Gambit – it takes two to tango. She also places a lot of blame for Sara's death on Oliver even though he had no control over the ship sinking, that is something that she absolutely, cannot blame him for (although it is understandable in her grief when she first lost her sister, but as I said before she seems to be letting her grief rule her life instead of moving forward). While Oliver is 'gone' for the next 5 years, Laurel sleeps with his best friend Tommy (I have personally interpreted this action as her way of getting back at Oliver for cheating on her, at least at first, which is pretty spiteful). She likes the good that the Hood is doing in season 1, but still manages to call him a monster (apparently no good deed goes unpunished with her). Later, whether it is on purpose or not, she starts to pit Tommy and Oliver against each other by starting a serious relationship with Tommy. Yet, she is not really deserving of Tommy either: one because it is clear that there is still something between her and Oliver, yet she keeps a hold of Tommy when she should really let them both be until she figures out which one (if either) of them she really wants; second she is constantly expecting the worst of Tommy and whenever he tries to prove himself to her it is a surprise when it really shouldn't be (since it is obvious that Tommy loves her and honestly wants to change). When Tommy leaves her she actually contemplates getting back together with Oliver. She sleeps with Oliver, but later after Tommy is dead she tells him it was a mistake because she feels she betrayed Tommy (does she even realize that by telling Oliver that that he will start to see it that way, too, and that he'll think he failed Tommy even more?)! Tommy dies trying to save her, yet she blames the Hood for not saving Tommy in time! She doesn't seem to realize that the Hood was busy trying to save EVERYONE in the Glades! Ends up persecuting Oliver's mother during her trial! She may be a saint, but saints are the hardest to please, because you can never do anything right in their eyes – no matter how much good you do they will always expect more!

Isabel Rochev does not deserve Oliver Queen because: First, she is a snake of the worst kind who plans to take over his company and put 30,000 people out of their jobs in the process. Secondly, she thought that Felicity and Oliver were together when she seduced Oliver in Russia, and yet she slept with him anyway – technically making her a home wrecker (even though Olicity weren't together). Thirdly, she is evil!

So, I don't know about you readers but I think these wonderful heroes (Batman/Superman/Arrow) all deserve better women – women like Felicity Smoak and Lois Lane!

**A/N: Anyway, now you all know how I feel about certain female characters. So, do not be surprised if said female characters get some bashing around in future one-shots! **


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ok, so I know I said that I would try to keep these all in order of when they could've happened on the show, but this only just came to me. It takes place in season one, "The Odyssey" episode where Oliver is shot by his mother, only just part of the flashback sequence where he and Slade try to overtake the landing strip where a plane is going to try to land. You know? Where Oliver tries to call Laurel but he is so shocked the phone call actually went through that he forgets to say anything?! Anyway, this particular one-shot takes place at that time. So, for any of you that noticed that the chapters have been reordered that is true. I'm a little OCD about these things.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please, read and review! I love hearing from you guys; and if you have any specific requests let me know and I will see what I can do.

**II: A Picture of Sound**

Oliver stood in the now silent tech tower. He hadn't been able to do his share of the…killing. Slade had to do it anyway. A part of him felt guilty that he couldn't be of more help, even with the more violent tasks that were asked of him, but then he remembered the bird that Yaui Fae had asked him to kill. It was the first kill he had ever made in his life. Literally. He had never even run over and animal with his car on accident. Not once had he killed anything – not even in video games! He was bad at the technology thing so he just never played them. He preferred clubbing or drinking with his best friend Tommy. Another part of him was glad, the still sane part, that he hadn't killed the soldier that had been inside the tech tower. He wanted to preserve as much of himself, the part of him that was still Ollie, for Laurel when he would finally get home and make things right.

But, then he remembered Slade's words, "If you think you can sleep with your girlfriend's sister, and still think that you can go back and everything will be all right, then you're a lot more stupid than I originally thought."

Oliver didn't want to believe it, but there was something in his subconscious that kept whispering to him. something that kept telling him that it was better this way, that what he did was a good thing because if he and Laurel were truly meant to be then why would he have sabotaged their relationship like that. He'd been stuck on the island – Lian Yau…Purgatory – for six months, and the only thing he had with him was Laurel's picture. It was like a beacon guiding him back to everything he loved and cared about. His family. His friends…well, only one friend really, Tommy. Laurel. Starling City. Home. Freedom. Peace. That part of his brain that was still Ollie, still a disobedient child that hadn't seen just how cruel and harsh the word could be – denial – was yelling at him to get home to Laurel and clean up the mess he had made of everything. To face the consequences of his actions. To clear the air.

However, another deeper part of him – the man that strived to break free from the immature 22 year old child that held on to him – was a guide of reason and reality. Oliver knew how Laurel felt about him. She loved him but she was constantly trying to fix him. The few times he tried to be serious she either put him down or thought it was just a joke. Like the time and Tommy told her that they were seriously considering opening a night club together. Laurel's reaction was first laughter – the joke part of it – then when she realized they were serious, she got angry. Really angry. She begged Oliver to stop being such a child and to find a real job, real responsibility. Over and over again this happened. He'd get serious, she'd put him down, they'd fight, break up, and a few weeks later Oliver would always be the one apologizing and begging her to take him back. That was the thing…it was never Laurel's fault. She never begged and she never apologized. It was wrong, a part of him knew that a relationship was not about one person always being right and one person always being wrong. There had to be balance, but he never seemed to reach that balance with Laurel. He was always the one to make a mistake and always the one to bend down to her wants and needs…her expectations. Expectations that he couldn't meet.

That part of him knew what he was doing when he flirted with Sara, Laurel's younger and trouble maker sister. He knew what he was doing when he asked her to go with him on his family's yhat, the Queen's Gambit. He knew he was sabotaging his chances with Laurel and that same part of him knew that Laurel knew, too. Why else would she have given him her picture? "Just in case you get lonely." It was a reminder that she was there waiting for him and that he belonged to her. She had to have known that he was going to screw up again only this time it was going to be the end for them. That seriously look in her eyes as they said goodbye.

That same part of him that knew that he had destroyed any and all chances of a happy ending with Laurel because he knew…he knew they'd never work. So, he did what she expected he'd do.

That more adult part of him was growing stronger and stronger as the days and months passed on Purgatory. It frightened and elated him. Frightened him because he wasn't sure he was ready be a man – an adult – just yet. Elated because deep down he wanted to be that man…something strong and fierce that would prove to everyone (Laurel and his parents especially) that he wasn't the screw – the child – they always claimed him to be. For almost his entire life he felt like he'd been holding them all back with his problems, but the truth was they had been holding him back. They told him that he'd mess up, he wouldn't make the grade, he would fail because that's what he always did. And he believed them! That was the problem! They had driven him to believe that that was all he was good for – failure. They were wrong. He hadn't been holding them back. No! They'd been holding him back by making him believe that he was somehow beneath them all and that he'd never amount to anything.

So, why did he pick up the phone that sat before him the tech tower? Why did his fingers shake as he dialed Laurel's cell phone number? Because he finally knew the person he was and the person he'd have to be in order to survive on this island of Hell. He wanted to say sorry to Laurel, that she should move on and find someone she could believe in, because the Ollie she knew was gone. He was just Oliver.

He reached to type in the last number but his finger slipped due to his nervousness and he miss dialed. His shoulders deflated. Sure, he could just redial, but he had wanted this to go quickly. The phone he had held up to his ear fell to rest on his shoulder. He ran his hand threw his tangled blond hair in frustration. He hadn't even heard the phone ringing or that the call number he had dialed had even gone through until he heard a voice. A small feminine voice that made him feel all sorts of nervousness. His body froze as his hand jerked back to his ear, the phone cold and hard against the side of his face. His breath stilled as his other hand rose to cover his mouth. For six months the only voices he had heard were those of the men on the island. First Yaui Fae's accented foreign voice, then Fyers and his soldiers – mercenaries – that had tortured and beat him, Slade's thick deep voice, too. Their voices weren't gentle or soothing.

He listened as she spoke. Her voice sounded…beautiful didn't even begin to cover it. It sounded pure and whole. An anchor. The picture of Laurel he had taken out of his shirt pocket and glanced at moments before he had tried to call her dropped from his hand the moment he heard the voice. It lay forgotten on the floor of the tech tower. He wouldn't remember it when he and Slade would later run from the tower to safety.

There was a new picture, a picture that his mind was creating as his continued to listen to that small, soft, feminine voice on the other side of the phone.

"Hello."

Oliver's breath caught.

"Hello…"

She was small, soft…bright. He knew it.

"Hello?"

The phone was ripped from his hand as Slade tossed it and the rest of the cradle it had lain in across the other side of the tech tower.

"Are you trying to get us both killed, kid!" Slade's voice was angry and incredulous.

Meanwhile, at MIT University, 18 year old Sophomore student Felicity Smoak walked to her next class. She had graduated high school at the tender age of 16 – a genius – and received a full scholarship to attend MIT as soon as possible. She'd taken the scholarship.

Her walk was slow and unhurried. Her next class didn't start for another twenty minutes so she took her time. Laughing quietly ever now and then as she watched her fellow students run around in a panic like chickens with their heads cut off, hurrying to their next class. She was very awkward and antisocial person. Whenever she spoke to other people she always ended up babbling embarrassingly. So, she tended to not talk to people at all. She preferred to interact with inanimate objects like books, movies, and anything technology related. However, she did like to people watch – always imagining what kind of life each person she observe had – making up some weird background story for them. She was interrupted from her musings when her cell phone began to ring. She pulled it from her back left jean pocket and answered it.

"Hello."

Nothing.

"Hello…"

She heard a faint gasp before there was nothing again. She frowned.

"Hello?"

She heard a small male sigh before a sudden crash echoed through the phone before the line went dead. Weird.

Oliver lay on his back on one of the two small cots that sat off to either side of the abandoned crashed plane remains. He had memorized the number; he knew which number his finger had slipped on. (913) 032-899…3…

Laurel's picture was gone and in its place was another picture that Oliver had built up in his head of a young girl he longed to one day meet. Her voice echoed through his mind day and night for the next four and a half years. A bright light that kept him going. Each time he got a hold of a phone he would dial that same number. He'd listen to her – he always knew it was the same girl – say "hello" a couple of times before he'd hang up. It reminded him of when he was in sixth grade. Him and Tommy hold up in his room as they both took turns nervously calling their respective crushes at that time before frantically hanging up, afraid the girls would hear them or guess who they were. He felt like a school boy again, carefree and happy…which was a hard feet considering he was stranded on an island that was named Purgatory in Mandarin.

Four Years and 8 Months Later…

His return to Starling was not at all what he had expected it to be. He knew that some people would be overjoyed by his return, like his mother, sister, and Tommy. He also knew that some people would not be so happy. Oliver had prepared for Laurel's anger – he had still wanted to at least apologize for how he had essentially ended things – but it was still a painful experience hearing her say that she had wished it had been him that had died that she wanted him to be in Hell – Purgatory – longer than those torturous five years. All the torture, pain, loss, and death…and Laurel wanted him to experience more of it. It wasn't Laurel's fault. She didn't know what he'd gone through on the Island. It hurt none the less.

Now, two months after his return, he had split his time quite well. From the time he spent fooling his family that he was still the carefree Ollie that he was before the island, becoming the Vigilante, and trying to find the girl with the voice from the phone. So, now…finally…he'd found her. It was quite ironic really. He'd thought it would be hard trying to track down the name that went with the number, but he'd found her quite easily.

She had graduated from MIT a year early at the age of 19, and had immediately started working at his family's company, Queen Consolidated, in the IT Department – where she had been working for the last three years.

Oliver took a deep breath as he made his way closer to the small water closet of an office that read, "F. Smoak" across the door, which was half way open. He knocked on the door frame before entering.

"Ms. Smoak?" His voice was pleasant with a hint of flirtation. He looked at her for the first time and was briefly driven speechless. She was nothing like he imagined…she was more. Her hair a golden halo that made her glow, only enhanced with her peach perfect smooth skin. Her eyes sparkled so bright he could see them from the door. When she turned to look at him he got a good look at the rest of her face: perfect sharp bone structure, a pointed chin, button nose, brightly painted plump lips…everything about her was perfect to him. He smiled. "I'm Oliver Queen."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This story will be a series of one-shots between Oliver and Felicity. I don't have a lot of time to write and would, in the future, love to see these one shots be made into multi-chapter stories. So, should anyone reading these one shots like to choose one, or many, to help me turn them into a much longer drawn out story please feel free to PM me. Consider each of these one shots the Prologue to a story. That's how I'm picturing them. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**III: The Importance of Being Laurel**

Felicity Meghan Smoak had always wondered what it would have been like to be Laurel Lance. Laurel was tall, tan, thin, and beautiful in every way that a woman could be beautiful in the 21st century. She had the tall, leggy model look about her, with long dark hair, and a sharp angled face. She was perfect, and not just in looks, but in personality as well. She had a high moral code – perhaps too high for any normal person to reach – and she was a kind, generous person who had a passion for helping the less fortunate. Felicity understood completely why Oliver was so madly in love with Laurel. She was perfect, and that was the problem.

Loving a saint was hard, especially for someone as dark and emotionally damaged as Oliver. The problem with loving a saint was that nothing was ever good enough. Felicity had often heard Oliver talk to Diggle about Laurel; she had also overheard him talking to Tommy about her, as well as Thea, and detective Lance. Oliver was not a talkative person – something to do with spending 5 years of solitude on an island called Purgatory – but no matter who he spoke with he couldn't seem to shut up about how perfect Laurel was. And Felicity believed him…at first.

When Felicity had first met Laurel she was expecting someone that would appear to the younger, much sexier version of Mother Theresa. Boy was she wrong! Sure, Laurel lived up to the image Felicity had of her physically – she was very beautiful – but the kind and generous person Oliver had always described her as seemed a bit more warped and twisted. Sure, Felicity knew of Laurel's work to helping the less fortunate with their legal problems all the time while watching the news, but that seemed to be where Laurel kind and generous nature ended. Felicity remembered her first meeting with Laurel quite clearly and there was nothing kind about it…

_6 Weeks Earlier at Verdant…_

"_Hey, Oliver I need you to come look at some…" Felicity paused as she reached the edge of Verdant's bar when she spotted a strange, but beautiful woman sitting right in front of Oliver on one of the many shiny, and surprisingly comfortable, metal stools at the bar. "Oh, um…I just interrupted a thing…didn't I? I'm just going to…" Felicity motioned for with her hands back towards the basement door, but right as she was about to scurry off a feminine voice pulled her back._

"_Who are you?" Laurel asked. Felicity did not miss the sudden detached coldness in Laurel's voice._

"_Oh, I'm nobody. Well, I'm not nobody; obviously I'm somebody…as are you. You're Laurel, the Laurel…gorgeous Laurel…" Oliver interrupted Felicity before she could go into a full on babble._

"_This is Felicity, she's a friend of mine from the IT department of QC and she's here to help me set up the internet router for the club." Oliver explained to Laurel, who appeared too busy to listen as she continued to give Felicity a calculating look._

"_Yes, and speaking of which there is something that Oliver needs to see." Felicity tried to keep her voice even but it wasn't easy with the harsh predatory looks that Laurel was giving her, as if she were warning Felicity to mind her place…or else._

"_Well, then I will leave you two alone to discuss…IT stuff." Laurel gave Felicity a harsh forced smile before turning what appeared to be an accusatory look towards Oliver._

Present…

Yeah, Laurel seemed nice at first, but there was a dark selfishness hiding underneath all that tan perfect skin. Felicity had been weary towards Laurel after their first meeting, but she quickly grew to strongly dislike her after a few short weeks of deep observation. You know, for a woman who claims to love Tommy Merlyn and hate Oliver Queen, Laurel certainly doesn't mind having Oliver chase after her as much as he does. From what she had learned from listening to Diggle, Thea, even Roy talk about Laurel and then her own eyes witnessing the awkward relationship between Oliver, Laurel and Tommy, Felicity quickly came to the conclusion that Laurel was not as perfect as she seemed.

She knew Tommy well; when he became the manager of Oliver's club it was hard not to run into him when she was constantly sneaking into the basement, to the Arrow Lair as she called it, with Oliver and Diggle. Tommy had been welcoming and a sort of comic relief to her crazy secret life alongside the Hood. Nothing at all like Laurel's cold first meeting. Tommy seemed to think Felicity was just as easy to be around as she did him, so it was no surprise that soon Tommy would relate all of his problems with Laurel to Felicity and seek her advice due to the fact that she was a woman herself. She remembered her quip to Tommy when he told her that because she was a woman that she would have some natural insight on all things female, "Tommy, I know you'd like to think that all women have some super-secret telepathic power with each other and that we can just know what the other wants, especially when it comes to men, but we don't. The only way you are going to get through your problems with Laurel is if you calmly and logically confront her about said problems. I'm not a mind reader. I don't know what Laurel wants when it comes to you and Oliver. Only she can tell you what she wants." Despite her advice, Tommy had seen fit to sacrifice his own happiness with Laurel and leave her; he wanted to give Laurel time to finally figure out what she wanted from him and Oliver. Felicity had found Tommy's obvious sacrifice heartfelt and honest if not completely stupid, too.

The night that Tommy had left Laurel he had ended up back at Verdant, nursing a headache and a bottle of the strongest bourbon known to mankind. Felicity had found him at the bar later that night when she had come to check on the computers to see if she could find any new hits on Walter's disappearance. Instead she had spent the entire night listening to Tommy rant about everything Laurel.

"_I don't understand what else she wants from me! First we're friends, you know, the three of us together, her, me and Oliver. Then Oliver dies…disappears…and one night we're both so sad and alone that stuff happens and the next thing I know is that we're friends with benefits."_

"_Then, Oliver comes back from the dead!"_

"_I try to be a better man for her. I honestly like being in a steady, domesticated relationship with Laurel. I like waking up and seeing her there instead of some one night stand I can't remember. I like being with her period."_

"_And here we are, 6 months later and she still can't see the real me. The new me. The me that was always there but just buried under a billionaire smirk and a drinking problem."_

"_You remember that time I threw a charity for CNRI to help raise money? She actually said no simply because she thought I wanted to get into her pants! I mean, yes I want her sexually but that is not the only thing that goes on in our relationship! I mean, come on! I'm willing to shell out thousands of dollars without any pay back and she spends the entire evening smooching with a self-center prick just so he'll donate a lot of money."_

"_Or the time we took that kid in whose parents were killed. I told him how I felt when I lost my mother and it surprised Laurel that I could take the time to comfort a little kid who had just lost his family! Does she really think that little of me?"_

On and on the rant had gone and after having met Laurel earlier that day and then having listened to Tommy poor his heart out, and his problems, Felicity had come to a harsh conclusion that neither Tommy nor Oliver seemed to grasp. Laurel did not deserve either of them.

Oliver was a flawed man, a tragic Byronic hero like Heathcliff or Rhett Butler. Charming, debonair, and seductive, but hiding a dark, dark past. The Oliver before the island was a child who knew nothing of the real world. He was the kind of man who was willing to throw away his relationship by sleeping with his girlfriend's sister. However, post-island Oliver was someone else entirely. This new Oliver has spent every second trying to help the people around him, protect the people he loves, and save an entire city while carrying a lot of pain, judgment, and blame for what other people have done. This new Oliver is capable of learning from his mistakes.

As for Tommy, he was sweet, funny – a total goof ball, actually – and willing to help his friends with anything. He was like a second big brother to Thea, a good friend to Oliver, and a **caring** boyfriend to Laurel. He set himself out to prove to Laurel that he was now a one woman man who could be trusted and loved in return, and everyone seemed to see this change except Laurel.

No, Felicity did not like Laurel at all. Laurel who couldn't see the genuine regret from Oliver or the heartfelt love from Tommy. Laurel who was willing to tell Oliver over and over again that he hadn't changed and that he was just as selfish as he had been before. Laurel who spent so much time telling Tommy that she and Oliver were done and over, but never once telling Oliver to let her go…to stop mooning after her. Laurel who pitted to friends against each other just so she could see which one she wanted the most. Laurel didn't seem to know either one of them at all; and what was worse was that Tommy and Oliver had placed her pedestal so high that now even they couldn't see the real her; the real Laurel that would destroy them both.

So, yes, Felicity often wondered what it would be like to be Laurel. To be so undeserving of the love these two amazing men throw at her and yet still get that love and respect in spite of it all.

Felicity's thoughts were interrupted as Oliver's voice filtered over the com links.

"Felicity? Are you safe? Talk to me, Felicity," Oliver's strong voice filtered through her ears as Verdant's base shook violently as another tremor ran through the Glades.

"Y-yeah," Felicity cleared her throat to keep it from cracking again. The last thing Oliver needed was for her to freak out while a man-made earth quake tried to swallow the Glades whole. "Yeah, I'm fine. The destruction seems to be contained to the east side of the Glades."

"Laurel." Oliver's soft voice, almost a whisper, seemed to echo through her mind. Of course Oliver would be thinking about Laurel right now, because it made complete sense. Her internal ramble was interrupted when she distinctly heard Oliver start his motorcycle and start driving…no doubt towards Laurel.

"Oliver, you can't go…you won't make it in time!" Felicity's voice grew frantic, loosing what little calm she had left.

"I can try!" The harshness of Oliver's words seemed to force Felicity into action. Damn him! He was not going to risk his secret or his life over someone like _Laurel_! No, she had to do something! Felicity pulled up a map of the Glades and quickly located CNRI, but what she found made her blood freeze. She was right, Oliver was too far away, and if he didn't make and Laurel died, Oliver would never forgive himself. She was not going to let Oliver carry that kind of guilt and pain around for the rest of his life. He would never come back from that – from losing Laurel. So, she did the only thing she could, she told Oliver the facts.

"No Oliver! You are not close enough, but I am! I'll go!" Felicity used her loud voice before jumping up from the computers and rushing to the side exit of the lair that lead out into the alley.

"What!? No, Felicity! Stay there! Do here me? You stay there! Felicity? Felicity!" Oliver shouted over the com link, but Felicity did not answer. He swore as he pushed the bike to go even faster. Felicity's com link sat innocently next to her keyboard as silence rained through the lair's thick concrete walls.

Felicity drove as fast as was humanly possible, slamming on her breaks and swerving when it was necessary to avoid getting hit by other drivers desperate to escape the Glades. When she finally arrived at the building that was once CNRI, she was struck by the horror before her. The entire building was up in flames. She slowly, almost robotically climbed out of her car, standing stiff in shock until a body barreled past her and ran straight into the crumbling structure. It seemed to snap her out of her trance. _For Oliver. This is for Oliver._ A Small voice kept chanting inside her head. She followed the stranger into the flaming remains of CNRI.

"Laurel! Laurel!" If she's not here and I die for nothing I swear I'll come back and haunt that girl! Her mind was in a rage as she stumbled and tripped her way through the furnace like ruble, all the while keeping her hands and arms above her head. "Laurel!"

"Tommy?" A small feminine voice miraculously reached Felicity's ears. She stopped and listened, trying to hear against the raging flames around her.

"I Love you, Laurel!" A man's voice! Felicity spun around and was met with a wall of fire. She could faintly see the outline of two figures – Laurel and Tommy. _This is for Oliver! For Oliver!_ She listened to the chanting voice inside her head before she took a big gasping breath, closed her eyes, and with a slight running start – jumped. She twisted her ankle as she landed; reminding her that she was still in her four inch heals from work earlier that day. She heard a distinct grunting sound and her eyes shot back open. Laurel was trapped beneath a large piece of concrete that had obviously crumbled from the ceiling, as Tommy grunted again as he tried to lift the block of stone from Laurel's limp body. Felicity pushed herself forward, placing one of her small delicate hands on Tommy's forearm. His head whipped around in shock at seeing her there, kneeling beside him and Laurel.

"Need a hand?" Felicity rasped out, coughing out the smoke that was drowning her lungs. She didn't wait for Tommy to answer her as she immediately helped him push and pull the stone into place and away from Laurel who seemed to have gone into shock given the expression on her face that resembled a codfish, which caused Felicity to start laughing hysterically but sounded more like violent coughing. "Go…"she gasped for air, "Go! I'll be right behind you!"

Tommy lifted Laurel into his arms and started to push his way through the stone and fire. Felicity followed close behind until a flaming beam fell from above. She stumbled back to avoid being crushed, but it was a futile attempt as she fell to the ground just as a cave in of stone came down on top of her.

Oliver slid his bike to a screeching halt just as Detective Lance did the same with his car. They both ran for the one remaining entrance to what was left of CNRI when Tommy came stumbling out carrying an unconscious Laurel in his arms. Lance and Oliver met him in the middle as he fell to the ground.

"Is she hurt? Is she…" Detective Lance did not finish the last statement – dead? – a shiver went through Oliver at that thought.

"No…" Tommy gasped for air as Lance lifted his daughter's prone body off of Tommy's lap and carried her to his SUV. "She's…just…passed…out." Oliver jerked his head in a nod before he helped Tommy up. Once they reached Lance's car, Tommy seemed to come back to reality and began to struggle against Oliver's hold.

"Tommy, easy, just relax! We have to get you to the hospital." Oliver's voice was strained with emotion.

"No, we have to go back! She's still in there! She saved us! We have to go back!" Tommy was practically shouting by the end of his frantic speech. Oliver shoved him into the backseat of Lance's car as gently as he could, but Tommy's frantic shouts gave him pause.

"What?!" There seemed to be an echo to Oliver's question as Detective Lance voice floated over to them from the other side of the car as he carefully strapped his daughter into the back seat next to Tommy.

"Felicity! She's still…" Tommy never finished his sentence as Oliver's body took on a life of its own and ran for the flaming rubble behind him. He smashed through the flaming walls like a man possessed.

"Felicity! FELICITY!" His voice choked back emotion as he shouted through the smoke that nearly blinded him. "Fel…"His voice broke as he stumbled to the ground due to a pile of rock. He tried to push himself up when a small broken whimper reached his ears. Felicity. It wasn't just rock he had tripped over, it was Felicity. His hands shot into action as he practically tossed the rubble off of her. He shoved his hood down, his hands throwing the last of the concrete stones off of her before he cupped her delicate face in his hands. "Felicity? Please, wake u…" She coughed before he could finish. "Oh, God! Thank you!"

"Oliver?" Felicity rasped, her voice cracked so many times he could hardly understand her.

"I'm here. We have to get you out of here…"

"No…please…it hurts too much," Felicity whimpered as he took her arms and placed them over his neck before he slid his hands and arms underneath her back and legs.

"I know, but we have to get you to a hospital," His voice had lost the fierce growling she was so accustomed to hearing. "Hold on to me tight."

Felicity gasped and whimpered in pain as he lifted her into his arms. "You said that on purpose!" Oliver chocked back a sob/laugh.

Detective Lance wanted very much to drive his daughter straight to the hospital, but he would be damned if he let the innocent girl who had helped save her burn to death. So, he waited, trusting that the Hood would pull her out of the inferno. Seconds became minutes, and as he caressed Laurel's face for the millionth time – afraid she would evaporate away – the crashing and hissing sound reached his ears, and he watched in horror as CNRI fell to the ground. Tommy's attention was just as focused on the destructed building as Lance was. He closed his eyes to try to block out the tears – he friend was gone, Oliver Queen was…

"Oh, My God!" Tommy's eyes shot open at the sound of disbelief in Lance's voice. The smoke seemed to move like a thousand snakes, swirling and gyrating, until a small wind seemed to clear some of the smoke away and a tall hooded figure stalked out of the collapsed CNRI. By the time Oliver made it to Lance's car, Lance was already jumping into the driver's seat and turning the keys in the ignition. Oliver practically threw himself into the front passenger seat with Felicity curled into his lap and chest.

"GO!" Oliver shouted/growled at Lance who was briefly frozen in shock as Oliver's hood fell from his head before he shook himself back into reality, and with as much speed as they could, they raced through the obliterated Glades towards the nearest hospital. All the while Oliver rained soft caresses over Felicity's prone form with his hands and desperate kisses to the top of her head and face. The voice inside his head chanting, _Please! Please! Please!_ Begging.

Tommy was now focused on Laurel, checking over her still unconscious form, every now and then reassuring Lance that she was still fine. Oliver continued to fawn over Felicity as she occasionally whimpered and cried out in pain. Soon, however, Oliver's words of assurance to Felicity became panicked as she slipped in an out of consciousness. The firm hand that grasped his shoulder briefly pulled his attention away from Felicity, expecting it to be Tommy, but surprised when he looked up to see Lance driving with his left hand as his right continued to grasp Oliver's shoulder.

"Kid, she's going to be fine. Ok? She's gonna be fine." The fact that Detective Quinten Lance, the man who hated Oliver the most, was comforting him was a miracle to say the least. Oliver attention was drawn back to Felicity as she gave a shuttering gasp.

"O-Oliver? Is…is…" Felicity tried to speak but her words came out broken and torn.

"Ssh. Don't talk now," Oliver pleaded.

"Don't…tell me…what to…do!" Felicity said, trying to use her loud voice but only succeeding in squeaking. Oliver couldn't help the smile that cracked his lips. "Laurel…I got her…out. You're…going to be…ok…now." Oliver's smile quickly turned into a grimace. Felicity had just been nearly smashed and her only real words were about Laurel and him. He didn't notice the tears of heartache and shame that slowly and silent ran down his face, mixing with sweat, blood, and soot. _No, I'm not ok. You're hurt because of me…and it's not ok._ His internal voice raged at him.

Two Weeks Later…

All is silent in Starling City. Even the reporters and news stay behind closed doors. No one speaks. All is silent. Everything is different; people have changed for the better and the worse. That first night was the most painful. Felicity, Laurel, Diggle, and Thea had all been admitted into Starling City General Hospital. Laurel was the first to be released, with nothing more than a concussion, some scrapes and bruises. Thea was next, with a stitched cut on her upper left temple and a broken wrist. After that, Diggle was released with a broken rib, a stitched bullet wound, and a concussion. Felicity had yet to be released. Three broken ribs, a broken left arm, a very badly sprained ankle, 6 stitched cuts littered her body, along with dozens of bruises. She had coded 3 times her first night in the hospital, was unconscious for 11 days before she woke up…it was hell.

Tommy had visited Laurel, who was staying with her father, the day she was released from the hospital. He was hopeful that they would begin anew, but it was a fruitless hope. Laurel admitted to loving him too, but she still had feelings for Oliver and until she sorted out those feelings she had decided that she couldn't be with anyone. Lance had given Tommy a genuine look of thanks and sympathy when he left the detectives apartment. Tommy had expected to feel anger towards Oliver due to the fact that Laurel still loved him, but the only anger he felt was towards Laurel for not loving him in return. Later that night he went to the Queen mansion to see Oliver pacing a hole into the living room floor, Thea and her boyfriend Roy watching him in a trance, like a caged tiger. Tommy remembered that he had not been the only one to have the rug pulled out from under him.

Thea and Roy had finally escaped the destruction of the Glades in the early morning hours of the following day. Roy had agreed to crash at the Queen mansion since it seemed like the safest option considering the circumstances. Once they had finally gotten comfortable in Thea's room, everything seemed to come crashing down and Thea's strong resolve broke as she sobbed into Roy's chest. They stayed like that for what seemed to be hours when they heard a crashing sound coming from the front door. Roy and Thea slowly made their way down the stairs, Roy holding a small withdrawn pocket knife in his right hand as Thea grasped a seriously deadly looking pair of green stiletto heels. Said heels were carelessly dropped to the ground when they came upon Tommy Merlyn kneeling over an unconscious Oliver Queen dressed from head to toe in green leather. Thea kneeled next to her older brother as she said, "Everything about him makes perfect sense," before keeling over herself into a dead faint. Suffice it to say, Tommy Merlyn was not happy he now had to deal with two unconscious Queens and an over enthusiastic fan-boy by the name of Roy Harper.

Oliver Queen woke late in the afternoon the next day to find his little sister and her _boyfriend _sitting vigil by his bedside. He expected to be greeted with worried questions and angry name calling, what he did not expect was for Roy Harper to ask for his autograph _"because you're the Hood."_ His sister and her…_friend_…finding out that he was the vigilante was not part of his plans. But, then again, neither was falling in love with a certain colorful, babbling, IT girl by the name of Felicity Smoak. Oliver's entire body froze as he realized his own thoughts. He loved her. _I love her!_ He would have jumped out of bed had his sister and Roy not put a stop to it and ordered him to explain himself.

It took a good week before Diggle came by the Queen mansion dressed in his traditional dark suit. Oliver was nowhere to be found, but surprisingly Tommy Merlyn was. Since the fall of the East side of the Glades, Tommy had officially moved into the Queen mansion to keep as far away from the public eye as possible, all the while meeting with his lawyers and some Merlyn Global higher-ups to discuss damage control now that he was in charge of his father's company. Diggle wasn't too surprised. He like Tommy and he felt bad for him, just like he felt bad for Oliver and Thea. The three of them would now be under the worst sort of scrutiny due to their parents' actions. It was Tommy who explained to Diggle about the Felicity situation when Diggle had asked where Oliver was. Tommy had barely finished speaking when the four of them – yes four, considering Thea and Roy had decided to eaves drop on their conversation – jumped into Diggle's black SUV and drove off at a speed that had Speedy swearing at Diggle's driving skills.

So, here they were two weeks later, the five of them brooding and wondering what shit was going to come down on them next. Laurel had been calling almost every day for a week to talk to Oliver, but each time she came Oliver was not home. He was at the hospital watching over Felicity, begging her to stay alive. The first few times Laurel called on Oliver, Tommy had answered the door, which in turn led to Tommy swearing off ever answering the door again. So, the next time Laurel called she was greeted with a strange looking teenage boy that she remembered seeing photographed with Thea in the news a few times – obviously her boyfriend. Roy would let her in then yell up the stairs for Thea, telling her that the door was for her before disappearing off into one of the many wings of the Queen mansion. When Laurel was eventually graced with Thea's presence, it was not a happy reunion.

"If you're here for Tommy or Oliver neither of them are here," said Thea, not bothering to hide her annoyance.

"Um…ok. So, how are you doing?" Laurel's voice wavered when she saw the very dark look threw her way.

"My mother was arrested for conspiracy and murder, my brother could possibly loose the one woman who actually deserves him, my best friend nearly died trying to save your life, and my boyfriend and I saw a few dozen people die right in front of us and we made our way home from the Glades that night. How do you think I'm doing?" Thea's voice grew more and more harsh with each word she spoke as she slowly stalked towards Laurel.

"Right…that was a dumb question. Listen, can you just tell Oliver that I need to talk to him."

"I've told him each time you drop by, Laurel. Listen, you are a pretty decent human being, but when it comes to your relationship with Tommy and Oliver…you're a downright bitch. So, if Oliver or Tommy ever wants to talk to you then I'm sure they'll come to you. Until then, please just leave us all the hell alone." With her final words, Thea shut the door in Laurel's face, who realized that Thea had pretty much backed her out of the house.

Meanwhile, Oliver sat in the world's most uncomfortable chair next to Felicity's hospital bedside, his back hunched forward as his upper body lay draped in sleep over her abdomen, the steady rise and fall of her breathing a comfort to him even in sleep. His face nuzzled her stomach as he felt a gentle caress over his head, but it was the faint sound of his name that woke him.

"Oliver?" Felicity's voice was husky from disuse. She continued to caress Oliver's head and run her fingers through his short hair as she said his name again.

Oliver's body grew stiff at the sound of her voice when he awoke, before it completely shot up until he was sitting at the edge of her bed, his hands placed on either side of her head, propping him up, his arms caging her in. His voice was harsh and broken when he spoke.

"What were you thinking? If it weren't for that we got you to the hospital on time you would have died. Why would you do something so…stupid!" Felicity slowly blinked up at him, the look of complete innocence and confusion making him even more angry.

"I did it for you," Her voice was soft and gentle as if she were explain something extremely complex to a child.

"Why?" Oliver's voice rasped.

"Laurel…I know how much she means to you. You…you wouldn't have been able to deal with loosing anyone else in your life, especially her. I-I wanted to spare you that pain." Felicity quickly averted her eyes before she continued speaking. "Oliver, I know you love her. That it will always be Laurel, but…given that I almost died," Oliver hissed as she spoke about her dying. "I just want you to know that, in case I don't get the chance to tell you this in the future…I," she took a deep breath before she let those three little words tumble from her lips. "I love you. You should know that." Felicity kept her eyes closed as Oliver seemed to take deep shuttering breaths into his lungs before he gathered her in his arms. She buried her face into his chest and gripped him with the little strength she had left.

Oliver couldn't believe his ears when she said those three little words. All he could do was hold her because not for the first time she had left him speechless. When her arms went limp around him her slowly pushed her back from him. Had she fallen asleep? His thoughts were interrupted by a shrill beeping that engulfed the room.

Hours later Oliver sat in another world class uncomfortable chair, Diggle, Tommy, Thea, and Roy sitting at both his sides, as he listened to the doctor explain the situation. Oliver could hardly take it all in. Mere hours ago Felicity was confessing her love, now she was in what the doctor called a "self-induced coma." Her body had gone through too much shock and stress as had her mind and now they were shutting down until everything was healed. "When will she wake up?" that's all he wanted to know. The Doctor paused at that question. "It is unclear. Only she can wake herself up when she is ready." Oliver took this as 'never' and everything inside him crumbled.

He stayed by her side for a month, but it was no use. Each time he saw her, a piece of him died inside. Until finally, he lost the one thing she had represented when she had become part of his team – hope. He left in the dead of night. No one knew where he went, but all he cared about was leaving in the hopes that his conscience would stop tormenting him with those three little words she said to him, and his own guilt for not saying them back.

Two months later, while Tommy and Detective Lance made their weekly trip to the hospital, paying their respects to Felicity, a miracle happened. And Oliver Queen was not there to see it happen.

They wanted to keep her over for observation, but after a couple of days she was allowed to go home as long as she had someone there to take care of her; which, according to one Thea Queen, seemed like the opportune moment to tell her that her apartment had been packed up and sold and that she was to move into the Queen mansion as soon as possible. She would have been angry had it been anyone else, but the pleading look that Thea and soon Tommy were giving her kept her decidedly calm. After all, their intentions were good.

However, had she known that Thea was going to insist she stay in Oliver's room, she would have protested a lot more. But, when she learned that Oliver had gone MIA the day she had slipped into a "self-induced" coma, she decided that when he returned he deserved some pay back. Starting with her taking over his room, bath, and closet.

When it had been 4 months since the events of the Undertaking, Felicity decided it was time for more pay back, and so she took over the reconstruction of the Lair beneath Verdant with Diggle's help, as well as Roy and Thea (and hadn't that been a shocker, waking up from a 2 month long coma only to learn that Oliver's sister and boyfriend now knew the big bad green secret). Tommy was too busy restoring the club above it.

When Tommy was fixing Verdant he was selling off his father's company piece by piece and donating almost every penny to helping restore the Glades. When Diggle wasn't helping Felicity redesign the Lair he was trying to have a relationship with Carly – which was decidedly not going to well. Thea and Roy were a big help in her Lair project and often spent almost as much time as she did down there, when they weren't visiting Moira Queen in prison. It had taken Thea a while, but Felicity eventually convinced her that Moira had only helped Malcom with the Undertaking because she believed she and Oliver were in danger. Thea had relented and with Roy's support had finally visited her mother in prison. Moira had been surprisingly happy to meet Roy, too. Meanwhile, Felicity spent any spare time she had from the Lair project to tracking down Oliver, which was proving to be very difficult.

A month later, a pleasant surprise arrived at the front door of the Queen mansion, a surprise in the form of a British speaking ex-boss. Walter Steele had returned to take over as CEO of Queen Consolidated once more due to the fact that Moira was in prison and Oliver was still MIA. It had been a pleasant transition. He was kind and helpful and was even accompanying Thea and Roy to their weekly visits to Moira's jail cell. He also didn't seem at all surprised to learn that Tommy and Felicity were now living in the Queen mansion. Tommy was easily explain, he was Oliver's oldest friend. However, the fact that Walter was not surprised to see Felicity living under the same roof as the Queen family made her think twice about what Walter thought her relationship with Oliver pertained.

It wasn't until 6 months after the Undertaking that Felicity finally found where Oliver was hiding and she was royally pissed off, too. Diggle had agreed to go with her to drag a certain "green-leather-wearing-arrow-shooting-broding-growling-annoyingly-sexy-and-muscular-especially-while-sweaty-and-working-out-blond-billionaire-airhead" (Diggle shuttered as he repeated Felicity's exact words in his head) from his self-imposed exile back on the island – Lian Yau. And hadn't that been a fun vacation.

The plane shuttered violently around Felicity as she kept her eyes shut tight and her hands crossed over her chest, gripping her seatbelt for dear life. Diggle's amused voice pulled her from her fear.

"Felicity, if you're so scared then why did you insist on sitting up front?"

"It was the only seat with a seatbelt," Felicity said as calmly as she could, but her voice cracked none the less.

"Which will come in handy when we hit the water at 180 miles an hour." Felicity's eyes snapped open as her head whipped around to look at Diggle with horror written all over her face. "Which will not happen." Just then their foreign pilot said something while pointing out the cockpit windshield. "I think that means we're here."

Felicity finally took her eyes off of Diggle and chanced looking out the window for the first time since they'd been in the air. "Lian Yau." She turned to look at Diggle only to find him further back in the plane pulling out a parachute and hooking himself into it. "What!? You said those were just in case!" She cried out in a panic.

"Yeah, in case we actually got here. Now, let's go." He said.

"NO!"

"Felicity."

"NO!"

"For Oliver," Diggle said.

"Ok," Felicity said in the tiniest voice that Diggle had to strain to hear her. She fumbled with her seatbelt before she freed herself from it and stumbled over to Diggle who quickly wrapped a few loose cords around her waist and legs to hook them together before he gave her a gentle but forceful push towards the now open door of the plane.

"Ok, Felicity. Jump on the count of three." Diggle shouted over the engine of the plane.

"Oh, God! I don't think I can do this!"

"Ok. Ready? One…" Felicity screamed as Diggle threw them both out of the plane and hurtling towards certain death!

Oliver was running through the overgrown jungle-like forests of Lian Yau when he saw the plane fly overhead. Someone was coming. He could feel it in his bones. He just prayed that it was friend instead of foe, having no interest fighting or killing anytime soon. He had lost his passion, his need, his reason to fight for anything anymore. They had died alongside his…hope. His steps gradually grew more and more silent as he jumped into the tries branches above and climbed tree to tree. He chanced a look beneath him when he was shocked into stillness as he recognized John Diggle tall, dark, bulking form followed by a much smaller and delicate figure with a mop of blond curls…

Oliver's blood froze in his veins as the smaller figure became clearer to him. Felicity?! No, it wasn't possible, unless…she was awake! She had woken up from her coma and he hadn't been there! Shame flooded his thoughts before they were interrupted by something Diggle had said. He glanced back and realized that Diggle and Felicity were as still as he was, Diggle kneeling down in front of Felicity, the words "land mine" reaching Oliver's ears. No!

"I'm going to try to disable it," said Diggle as he tried to keep Felicity calm.

"YOU CAN'T!" Both Diggle and Felicity snapped their heads towards Oliver's shout. Oliver could not hold back the pleasurable shiver when he saw the bright smile Felicity gave him as she spotted him up in the trees. "Diggle, get back! Felicity, don't move!" He barely caught her widening eyes as he lifted his bow and an arrow, tied a rope to the arrow and shot it up into one of the trees across from him before gliding down from the sturdy branch that he stood on. He gripped the rope in one hand before reaching out with his other, yanking Felicity to safety before letting go. They dropped, tumbled, and rolled until Felicity found herself with a very hot, sweaty, shirtless Oliver Queen lying on top of her – she barely heard the blast from the land mine – all of her attention was glued on Oliver.

"Wow! You're um…you're really sweaty." Oliver did not respond to Felicity's slip of tongue. He just stared at her, as if her very presence was so impossible that he couldn't risk taking his eyes off her for fear of her suddenly vanishing.

Yes, Felicity wondered what it would have been like to be Laurel; to know that someone like Oliver could love someone like her so fiercely. In that single moment as Oliver looked down at her with the deepest and most intense look she has ever seen him wear, she knew…in that single moment what it was like – to be loved.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I will be posting each one-shot in the order that they happen in the TV show series depending if they are centered on one of the actual episodes/events of the show. Also, I love hearting ideas from my readers, so if there is a particular scene you'd like me to analyze or write about, feel free to PM about it!

**IV: Family Matters**

**Miami – Summer 1999…**

Mr. and Mrs. Stark were not your traditional parents, for one thing they were millionaires which allowed them to give they're children a very carefree life, but that was not what made them different. While they seemed different in the sense that they were privileged compared to the many underprivileged around the world, they were even more foreign in their own circle of elite. This moment in time was absolute proof, for Mr. and Mrs. Stark were not traditional in any sense due to the mere fact that despite their millions they still enjoyed driving their children to school in the morning themselves instead of having a hired driver to it for them or taking their children out to the local Opera House to see the traveling play that was in town at that time – Les Miserables.

Indeed, there was Mr. Stark with his thick dark hair peppered with grey, his black mustache twitching every time he turned his head to speak to his wife or children. Mr. Stark was a simple man in spite of his wealth, and although he loved to shower his wife and children with gifts, he also loved to spoil them with the truth of reality. He ensured that his children new humility, compassion, empathy, and most assuredly the importance of an honest day's hard work.

At the beginning of their marriage twenty years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Stark had hit a road block in their relationship. They both wanted a family, and considering the three miscarriages that Mrs. Stark had suffered through, it seemed unlikely to happen – and they feared the end of their still very new marriage. Until, on March 28, 1981 in the early hours of the morning, Tony Stark was born. Years passed and Mr. and Mrs. Stark were content that they had been blessed with even one child. Although, a surprise was born on the eve of Halloween in 1991 in the form of a beautiful baby girl with dark curls the color of the richest red wine. A welcomed surprise – a miracle!

So, here he was. One of the wealthiest men in the world driving his family to his wife's favorite play, his 18 year old son sitting in the back seat teaching his 8 year old little sister how to beat a rubics cube in under a minute and his wife already humming one of the musical's songs – she had a thing for musicals – when a burst of light caused Mr. Stark to look forward once more. The light was coming from a swerving semi that was gradually losing more and more control. Closer…closer…closer still. They were driving fast…right towards them…

You know the saying, "Watching your life flash before your eyes?" It's not true. You don't see anything. Instead everything slows down, death giving you the illusion that you have all the time in the world to get out of the way, until it suddenly speeds up…and there is no more time. Mr. Stark did not watch his life flash before his eyes, all he saw was an illusion…and time.

Wendy Darling – she had been obsessed with her ever since she had seen the movie Peter Pan one night with her big brother, it had been his birthday treat for her when she was 5. Ever since then she had been entranced by Wendy…and flying. So, at her insistence everyone called her Wendy (except her mother who made sure to use her given name at every chance she could get, to ensure that no one would forget it. Wendy giggled in delight as she finished the rubics cube in 54 seconds, her big brother clapping at her victory. It was their mother's panicked gasp and their father's angry shout that drew Tony's attention away from her. She was too short to see what was coming, but when she saw her brother's eyes go wide she knew that this was going to be the end of…something. She didn't know what; she was too young to understand.

Tony didn't think, he just reacted – throwing his body over his sister and curling around her. He hiss as glass shards rained down on his back, cutting him as they rolled onto the floor. Mrs. Stark's arms were raised, her face turned, blocking the deadly clear knives that were flying towards her face and chest. Several large pieces imbedding themselves in her breasts, her blood shooting out of her at the force of the impact – she was dead in mere seconds. Mr. Stark pushed his body away from the steering wheel, his eyes wide before his body was thrown to the right, twisting at and awkward angle. Tony gritted his teeth as something sliced over his back, a good 6 inches down. The top of the car was pulled off as his meandered beneath the back of the semi.

A lone piece of glass shard made its way through her human barrier, piercing her right arm – it would leave a scar…a small teardrop. It would not be the last of its kind to fall that night.

Over the years Tony Stark grew more sarcastic, darker humored, and more arrogant – a mask that fit him well and one he had often seen his dad use in business. The deaths of his parents were shocking, but it was that fact that he had become a parent himself in a way…that night long ago. His sister was now all he had and like any big brother he protected her as best he could. When it became apparent that he would sue and magazine company and paparazzi should they so much as think about taking a picture of his baby sister, they stopped hounding him. He took the brunt of the fame and attention just like he had taken the brunt of the car crash. She went to the best schools, had the best tutors, and was given anything and everything she wanted. She was the softer version of him, but just as brilliant.

Eventually he stopped calling her Wendy and instead just called her Darling, a small reminder of her pleasant childhood before the accident. When she was 9 years old and he was forced to finish school, he had the best nanny/tutor hired for her. Indeed, Pepper Potts was the best, in fact she was so good and when his little Darling graduated high school at 16 (something he was most proud of) he promoted Ms. Potts to be his Executive Assistant/Press Agent. Yes, she was that good; even better 6 years later when they became engaged.

**Present…**

It had been 6 months since the events of the Undertaking and one month since Oliver Queen had returned from the Island of Lian Yau…again. Things had not been going well for Queen Consolidated. When Oliver had come back, it had been to face off a corporate takeover by Stellmore International, headed by Satan herself, Isabel Rochev. Oliver was in serious trouble. While he owned 45% of the shares of Queen Consolidated, Isabel Rochev had purchased 45% of her own, leaving 10% still under the control of the Board. In the last month that Oliver had been back he had proven to the board that he truly cared about the welfare of Queen Consolidated as well as its 30,000 employees – which would all be out of a job should Isabel ever gain control of the company. So, the Board had seen fit to put Oliver under a probationary period for the next three months, only then would they release a price for the remaining 10% of the company – at which time would give either Oliver or Isabel the chance to snatch up the missing puzzle pieces giving one of them full control over the company. Oliver would then spend every moment he could spare looking for a way to convince investors to help him buy the remaining 10% which would put Queen Consolidate back in his family's power.

The first week of his probation he made Felicity his new Executive Assistant – which she made very clear she was NOT happy about – and ever since then she had been helping him find…try to find potential investors. That didn't seem to be going well for either of them, since everyone with enough money to invest in Queen Consolidate shares wanted nothing to do with the company due to the fact that the name Queen was now associated with mass murder.

So, here Felicity Meghan Smoak sat at her desk right outside Oliver's clear glass walled office, contemplating stabbing herself with her own pen. It seemed like a fitting end for her. Said pen had been driving her crazy all day and she used it to cross name after name off on the very long investors' list that she and Oliver had been going through for the last 2 ½ months. They had 15 days left before the probationary period would be over and so far ever potential investor had said 'no.' her fingers were dotted and marred with ink blots from her evil pen. Yes, death by pen seemed like a good way to go – after all hadn't some famous artist stabbed himself with his paint brush, she wondered if it had been the same artist who had cut off his own ear (or had it been accidental?), then there was another artist who had died of ink poisoning because the paint he used seemed into his skin one to many times. Artist sure did die in the most peculiar ways…

"Felicity?!" Oliver's voice cut through Felicity's internal ramble.

"Oh, um…sorry. Did you say something?" Her voice shook with confusion before she gained control over it again. She always lost her self-control when in Oliver's presence.

"Yeah, I've been calling your name for the last couple of minutes. Is everything alright? You seemed really distracted," Oliver's voice was thick and husky, with the perfect tone of deepness to it. IT sent a shiver down her spine.

"Y-yeah. Yeah, just getting really annoyed with all this investor crap. I can't believe no one wants to even think about investing!" Her voice becoming as frustrated as she felt.

"How many more names on the list?"

"Five."

"Do we have anyone who's interested at least?" Oliver's voice grew hopeful and Felicity hated to be the one to ruin that small bit of hope.

"No. they all say the same two things. If I actually get through each of their Human Resources and am able to speak to the boss, then they tell me either a flat out 'no' or a 'we'll call you back as soon as possible'." At her answer, Oliver's shoulders hunched and then tensed.

"Maybe we should just give up…"Oliver pored all the weariness he felt into his words and it saddened Felicity immensely.

"No! We still have five more potential investors to try out. You never know! Maybe…" Felicity looked down at the list and glanced at the five remaining names. "Maybe Bruce Wayne will want to invest in us…I mean you…Queen Consolidated. Or, Lex Luther…"

"Four." Oliver's voice was strong as steel.

"What?"

"Four potential investors. I don't care how desperate we are, we will not be doing business with Lex Luthor, he's the most corrupt businessman in the world and everyone knows it."

"Ok, but that still leaves…"

"No…no, Felicity. We failed…I failed. What's the point?" Oliver's voice grew empty and lost, much like how he sounded when he returned from Lian Yau the first time around. Felicity sat at her desk as she watched him walk back into his own office before sitting down at his desk, putting his word weary face in his hands. She watched Diggle stand up from the black leather couch inside Oliver's office and walk over to his desk, no doubt to try and give the billionaire-vigilante a pep-talk.

Felicity looked back down at the list of names and stopped completely at the last name: Tony Stark. A name she was very closely related to. She pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and picked up her bright lime green cell phone. It was time to call in a favor.

Oliver was tired…down right exhausted. He needed to save Queen Consolidated but he couldn't once again he failed the people he was supposed to protect. He dropped his face into his hands and heaved a big sigh. He heard a shuffling sound near the leather couch in the far right corner of his office. Probably Diggle.

"Hey, man. I know this is not going as well as you planned, but we'll get through this. We're a team for a reason…" Meanwhile, while Diggle continued on with his supposed pep-talk (not really his forte; Felicity was better at busting Oliver's pride and ego), Felicity was making a very interesting phone call to a family…friend.

"Please, Pepper! For me!...Listen I know it's last minute and I know that this is probably going to be the most expensive birthday present he has ever given me, but this is all I want this year…Yes…Yes, I know. Thank you so much Pepper! Oh, and could you remind him to please be discrete when he comes here, not everyone knows what my situation is. Ok, I'll see you both in 4 days." Felicity hung up her phone with a big smile across her face and turned her twirling chair back towards the front of her desk. She was met with a confused looking Diggle.

"What was that all about? What don't we know about you? Felicity is everything alright? And why the heck do you have the goofy grin…" Felicity didn't let Diggle finish since she practically jumped out of her chair and skipped into Oliver's office, Diggle following closely behind.

Oliver looked up from his hands and watched in extreme confusion as Felicity literally plopped herself down on the corner of his desk, her legs brushing up against his and causing a shiver to run down both their spines. "What are you…"

"Good News!" Felicity practically cackled with glee.

"What?" Oliver and Diggle asked in unison.

"I've found you an investor!" She clapped her hands.

"What? How…who?" Oliver sat up straighter in his chair; she had his full attention.

"Tony Stark. His Executive Assistant/Press Agent is…um, sort of an old friend of the family."

"Wait, Executive Assistant…Pepper Potts? You know Tony Stark's wife?!" Diggle asked, shock written all over his face.

"Yup. Any-who…they'll be here in 4 days to discuss things and sign papers. Congratulations Mr. Queen." Felicity said with a cocky smile as she jumped up from his desk and sauntered out of his office. Oliver briefly phased out and noticed only the way her hips swayed in her very tight green silk dress…

Diggle cleared his throat and gave Oliver a knowing look, one of his dark eyebrows raised as if to say, "Yeah, you know you want her, so why are you torturing yourself?" Oliver shook it off and used almost all of his self-control to tare his gaze away from Felicity's very perfect heart-shaped bottom and back to his work.

**Later that Evening…**

Diggle had just walked out to drive Felicity home. There wasn't any Arrow business that needed to be done at the moment; the Stark Investment was top priority at the moment. Oliver was waiting for Diggle to return to drive him home when who should walk into his office but none other than the Devil herself, Isabel Rochev.

"Ms. Rochev, what can I do for you at this late hour?" Oliver did not hide his annoyance or his contempt for this woman who threatened everything that represented the Queen family.

"I need to talk to you about your…Executive Assistant," said Isabel, putting air quotes as she spoke the words Executive and Assistant. Isabel had made her theory about Oliver sleeping with Felicity known – even if it was one of Oliver's many fantasies that involved Felicity – despite being wrong about their relationship.

"What about Felicity…I mean Ms. Smoak?" Oliver grits his teeth at his slip of the tongue.

"I have it on goof authority that she is embezzling money from the company." Isobel smirked at the information.

"What? Why would you think that?" He didn't know what Isobel was playing at but trying to pit him and Felicity against each other was not going to go in her favor.

"That is not important, what is important is that she is very likely stealing money from Queen Consolidated and from what my information tells me, it is likely to have been going on for a long time."

"Really? What proof do you have of this?" Oliver was seriously getting annoyed with Isobel's constant need to try and get rid of Felicity.

"Well, for one thing. Have you noticed her lifestyle? Considering what she makes each year there is no way she could possibly afford the way she lives. She always has the latest gadgets from phones, tablets, to computers. She drives the most expensive Mercedes known to man. Her designer wardrobe, not to mention the address we have listed in our own records show that she lives in the most expensive part of the city. The only way she'd be able to afford her lifestyle is if she were a millionaire. I know for a fact that she is not, so she is clearly getting her money from an outside source." Isobel's smirk seemed to have grown into a full blown sneer as she relayed her information to Oliver in the hopes of getting a rise out of him.

"Mr. Rochev…thank you for informing me of this matter. I shall see that Felicity is dealt with accordingly," Oliver said stiffly. He didn't believe a word Isabel said, but it did make him think about Felicity and her lifestyle. She was a smart woman so he doubted that she would ever drive herself into debt, which meant that her own family was probably pretty wealthy and paid for a lot of her lifestyle. Given Felicity's honest and loyal nature, he figured it was the latter and brushed Isabel's words aside.

**3 Days Later, October 30****th****…**

Oliver was sitting in his office; he had removed his suit jacket and tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his oxford dress shirt. Felicity had just gone to get them all some lunch when he decided to check his schedule for the rest of the day. It took him a good ten minutes to open the right document and find his schedule, Diggle's amused laughter in the background distracting him even more. When he had finally pulled his schedule up, he was shocked to see that his appointment with Tony Stark had been moved from tomorrow afternoon, to today…in fact in two minutes. Oliver frantically told Diggle to call Felicity and tell her to get back as soon as possible. He could have sworn that his meeting with Stark was not until…

"Oh, looky looky here. This is very nice, reminds me of my own office." The deep baritone voice surprised Oliver out of his panic, causing him to look towards the front of his office in time to see a tall, well build, dark haired man saunter on in as if he owned the place, followed closely by a pretty redhead woman and smiling slightly older man. He watched as Tony Stark plopped himself onto the leather couch, spreading himself out, his sunglasses still perched on a very familiar looking nose. "So, let's get down to business."

"Mr. Stark I'm sorry for my unprofessional appearance, I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow," said Oliver as he sat himself stiffly into a chair sitting across from Mr. Stark. As they began discussing business, Oliver could not help but think that there was something very familiar about Tony Stark. The way the man talked with his hands, the arch of his eyebrows, the way he's go off on an unrelated topic and babble a bit before circling back to the topic at hand, the way he corked an eyebrow, or how the perfect straightness of his nose and chin. IT was like talking to a male version of Felicity – and that seriously weirded Oliver out.

"So, basically I have already purchased the remaining 10% of your company's shares. I shall kindly cell them back to you at a very cheap price, and voilà. Queen Consolidated will be firmly under your control giving you 55% of the company. Oh, just so you know, I did hack into your COO, Ms. Rochev's files and it appears that she was a little too confident in herself when it came to winning your company. She figured she had already won what with your lack of investors and has already started to cell off her own 45%. I have put in a few fake bids causing the price of the shares to decrease drastically which means you'll be able to buy them all back at a fraction of the cost," Tony completed his little dialogue with a theatrical wave of his hand.

"Um…ok. I…Thank you. Although, I'm a little confused as to why you are being so…kind about this?" Oliver's confusion showing on both his face and in his voice.

"It's a birthday present to someone I know. Ah, here she is now," Tony sprung up (the man is like a ball of energy) from the leather couch and trotted over to the front of the office. "Darling!" Oliver's jaw dropped as he watched the famous Tony Stark embrace _his_ Felicity. Diggle appeared to be wearing a matching expression of shock.

"Tony! What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here till tomorrow? And you promised you'd be discrete!" Felicity's hissing voice was a clear sign of her approaching anger which would no doubt lead to her loud voice. But, Tony Stark seemed unaffected by it as he merely hugged her again before putting a big loud kiss against her cheek.

"Yes, but it's not every day that your little sister practically begs you to save Mr. Tall-Blond-and-Broody over there's company," Tony said as if he were talking to a child instead of a grown woman. He would have continued his teasing had it not been for the two very loud chocking noises coming from the two men behind him. Pepper and Happy rolling their eyes and shaking their heads respectable towards the two siblings.

"Did you just say…sister?" Oliver's voice seemed to fail him and he coughed again. No wonder Stark seemed so familiar – he really was a male version of Felicity. Speaking of said woman, Oliver turned his shocked gaze on her.

"Oh, um…" Felicity noticed the fierce look on Oliver's very drool worthy face. "Oliver, I can explain."

"Please, do…"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Oh, My God! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews and favorites. You are all awesome readers! Ok, so this particular one-shot was inspire by the Dollmaker episode and the almost kiss shared between Laurel and Oliver. I hope this entertains all you Olicity fans out there!**

**V: Falling Apart**

Oliver was still a bit flustered from the party that had taken place at the Queen mansion. He thought back to what Felicity had said about the mysterious woman in black tracking Laurel instead of him. His heart fluttered a bit in worry for Laurel, but for some reason his chest and heart did not tense at the thought of her in danger like is usually did. In fact the mere idea of Laurel in trouble had once made him feel so out of place, out of control, and would have sent him into panic mode once upon a time. Now, he was just…worried – the same kind of worry he got when he was dealing with any other victim/innocent. The uncontrollable emotions that he had once felt for Laurel seemed to be gradually ebbing ever since his return from Purgatory.

For five years her picture had represented home, humanity…hope. It was the only thing he had left that connected him to his old life. His first year on Purgatory was the worst. He had spent most of his time try so hard to remember what it was like before the shipwreck, resisting the change that was taking him over more and more each day. He fought against it, afraid to loose himself, but eventually he reveled in his change. As he looked back on the boy her was before the shipwreck, shame lifted up off his shoulders and floated away.

That boy was dead and buried, and he Oliver Queen…no, not Oliver – Arrow. He was the Arrow. He had spent that last 6 ½ years fighting so many sides of himself. The billionaire playboy Oliver, dark and brooding Oliver, the lover, the friend, the liar, the man, and the vigilante – he had spent so long trying to figure out which one of them he was when the answer was so simple.

Laurel had always seen him as the billionaire playboy, even before he had gone on the Queen's Gambit. He remembered how she had tried to domesticate him, change him even then. He remembered how she had looked at him with innocent eyes, but a deadly seriousness hidden just beneath the surface as she gave him the photograph that would soon become bent and worn with his time on Purgatory – telling him it was just in case he forgot her, so he wouldn't forget her. She had been so certain that he would, so if that were the case why had she tried to be with him so much? If she were so certain that he would always be the billionaire playboy then why did it matter so much to her that he change?

Tommy always looked upon him as the best friend – his wingman, drinking buddy, his competition, his solace from his deranged father.

His family had once seen him as a nuisance, nothing more than a troublemaker and a constant disappointment to the family name. When he returned they had been overjoyed, but their expectations of him were the same.

Everyone had always had some sort of preconceived notion of who he really was, even he did. He constantly followed everyone's expectations. Laurel had been convinced that he wouldn't change, so she gave her a good reason to continue that belief – taking Sara with him on the Gambit.

He had felt the change in him the moment he watched Sara being sucked out of the Gambit and into the treacherous ocean. Then again when he arrived on Purgatory. The change continued for the next five years. When he had returned he'd felt at war with himself always forced to play once side of himself.

And that had been the problem; he'd spent so long trying to be one side of himself or another, when instead he should have just accepted that he was a completely different person. He wasn't Oliver Queen anymore; he was just Arrow (all of them combined).

As he walked Laurel back to her apartment he frowned at his own realization. _Seriously_, he thought_, 5 years on the island and the last year and a half back in starling and I'm was only just realizing this!_ Before he could continue his mental berating, Laurel's voice cut through his mind and he turned his attention back to her just in time to see her coming closer to him, her lips pursed and reaching for his…

"Laurel," Oliver's voice was tense and stern as he gripped her upper arms. Laurel smirked, her eyes closed, thinking he was going to pull her into his embrace. "We can't…I can't." he pushed her away and let go of her as swiftly as possible. He didn't hear her next words; his ears ringing as a sudden image of blond curls and piercing cat-green eyes shifted in his vision.

He didn't remember making his way back to verdant, or what Laurel had said to him in anger as he left her on her doorstep. Every thought of Laurel was wiped from his mind as he spotted Felicity in her chair at the desk of computers. He made his way over to her and placed his hand on her bare shoulder – she was wearing a strapless olive green dress made of the softest silk. He smiled as he felt the familiar growing shiver that ran through his body as he made contact with her lush, delicate skin. "What do you have for me, Felicity?"

She turned her head – a serene smile on her face – their eyes met, and that was the beginning and the end of everything for. She was the only thing that existed for him in that single moment.

**A/N: Sorry that this one-shot was a bit shorter than the others. I hope you all enjoyed it! Please****, ****R&R.**

_**Rant II: General Information…**_

Oliver Queen b. May 16, 1984

• 6'2" tall, dirty blond/light brown hair, and silver eyes. Has three tattoos: Bratva Star over his heart, red dragon over his left back shoulder blade, and samurai writing over his right abs.

• Went missing in a shipwreck in 2007 at the age of 23; he returned to Starling City at the age of 28 after being stuck on an island for 5 years.

• While on said island he learned and mastered the following: archery, escapology, martial arts (127 styles), stealth, tolerance for pain, swordsmanship, and 11 languages.

• Skills: detective, escapologist, martial arts, stealth, marksman, archer, hand-to-hand combat, free running, acrobatics, tactician, first aid/toxicology, master of disguise, pilot, tracker, illusionist, sleight of hand, diverse environment training, honed senses, swordsman, all fire arms, tolerance for pain.

• Body: peek human physical condition, physical perfection, can bench press 500lbs, can break chains/handcuffs/zip ties/ropes, and can hold his breath for over 2 minutes.

• Weapons/Tools: customized re-curve bow, carbon fiber long bow, customized Oneida kestrel compound bow (designed by Felicity), crossbow, customized hunting arrows, trick arrows, quiver, flechette arrows (darts), gauntlets, voice filter, ghost phone (later perfected by Felicity), & arrow mask.

• Multilingual: English, Mandarin, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, & Cantonese.

Bruce Wayne born February 19, 1983

• 6'3" tall with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. No tattoos but lots of scars.

• Parents were murder right in front of him when he was 10 years old by a man named Joe Chill. Left Gotham City when he was 22 years old and was missing for 7 years (declared dead). Returned home when he was 29 years old.

• While away for 7 years he was a professional thief and criminal for 2 years, in prison for 1, and spent the remaining 4 years being trained by Ras Al Ghul as a member of the League of Shadows (also sometimes referred to as the League of Assassins).

• Has a genius level intelligence.

• Has an extreme, almost superhuman "Force of will," and tolerance for pain.

• Abstains entirely from alcohol, though he presents himself to the public as a borderline alcoholic (he created this illusion by drinking ginger ale and pretending it was champagne), to keep his perfect body and health.

• Has studied: biology, technology, mathematics, physics, mythology, geography, & history. Has degrees in criminal science/forensics/computer science/chemistry/engineering by the time he was 21.

• Body: peek human physical condition, physical perfection, can bench press 600lbs, can break chains/handcuffs/zip ties/ropes, and can hold his breath for over 3.15 minutes.

• Skills: detective, escapologist, martial arts, stealth, marksman, archer, hand-to-hand combat, free running, acrobatics, tactician, first aid/toxicology, master of disguise, pilot, tracker, illusionist, sleight of hand, diverse environment training, honed senses, swordsman, all fire arms, tolerance for pain.

• Multilingual: English, Mandarin, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Spanish, Italian, French, Latin, German, Japanese, & Cantonese.

• Knows 127 styles of Martial Arts. His favorites are: Judo, Jujitsu, Ninjtsu, Fencing, Boxing, Kickboxing, Kung Fu, Karate, Tae Kwan Do, & Mauy Thai.

Bruce Wayne net worth is $70 billion

Oliver Queen net worth is $63 billion

Tony Stark net worth is $58 billion

Lex Luthor net worth is $34 billion

Now, based on the 2013 Forbes top 10 richest people in the world list, this is their placement on that list...

Bruce Wayne = 2nd richest person in the world!

Oliver Queen = 3rd richest person in the world!

Tony Stark = 4th richest person in the world!

Lex Luthor = 8th richest person in the world!

***With their young ages, this also makes them the youngest billionaires in history: Lex Luthor (37); Tony Stark (36); Bruce Wayne (31); Oliver Queen (30).

Bruce Wayne = Wayne enterprises (CEO, but Lucius Fox is acting CEO in his place).

Oliver Queen = Queen Consolidated (acting CEO at the present time).

Tony Stark = Stark Industries (acting CEO at present time with Pepper Potts as Head VP).

Lex Luthor = Luthor Corporation (acting CEO at present time; totally insane).

**A/N: I will be putting a Arrow/Superhero Poll up on my account page and I would like it if you'd all take the time to check it out as soon as possible and let me know what you think! Also, I will be posting the next chapter very soon, so keep a look out.**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Ok, so this particular one-shot was inspired by my personal favorite book, _Gone with the Wind,_ by Margaret Mitchell. I noticed some parallels between it and _Arrow_. Note that there is an explanatory rant right before the actual one-shot. I hope you all enjoy! Please, R&R.

_Gone with the Wind_ is an amazing story (both the novel and the film) about a young woman by the name of Scarlett O'Hara – she's beautiful, passionate, spirited, and brave – in the time of the Civil War. However, she spends 12 years chasing after a man by the name of Ashley Wilkes (who happens to be married to her best friend, Melany Hamilton-Wilkes). She is so blinded by her "love" for Ashley that she doesn't notice the undying and passionate love that Rhett Butler (her third husband) has for her. By the end of the story, Scarlett eventually realizes that she never really loved Ashley, that it was just an adolescent infatuation, and that it's Rhett that she really loves. But, her realization comes too late and Rhett leaves her, tired of always living in Ashley's shadow.

I saw a bit of a parallel in Arrow with the relationship/love triangle between Laurel, Oliver, and Felicity. Like Scarlett, Oliver spends all of his spare time mooning after Laurel (who doesn't deserve him, nor does she love him back); while Felicity loves him but he is so blinded by Laurel that he doesn't even notice Felicity on a romantic level. Felicity being the Rhett of the Arrow story, waiting for the person she loves to finally return that love.

Now we continue with the actual one shot…

**VI: Frankly, My Dear…**

It was her choice. She had chosen to help Oliver Queen in spite of his ridiculous and downright unbelievable lies.

She chose to save him that night 18 months ago, instead of taking him to the hospital.

It was her choice to join their little motley crew of heroes, even though she had promised herself that it was only temporarily – she didn't keep that promise.

When Oliver had gone missing those five months, it was her choice to track him down and bring him home. Her choice to spend all the money he had gifted her before he had left into rebuilding their Lair. So that it would be ready for him, waiting for him.

Always waiting…

It was always her choice to put herself in the line of fire. Oliver and Digg always protested, but they would eventually give in and let her. She wondered if she had been Laurel, would Oliver had done something a little more drastic then some simple protesting to ensure she wouldn't put herself in danger? She had made the choice so many times to do anything and everything she could to help Oliver, and she couldn't help but admit that she had hoped that he would be willing to do the same.

She remembered when Digg had needed Oliver the most, and who he had chosen over John. Laurel. "It's always going to be Laurel, everyone else be damned." Digg's words rang in her ears like a siren. He'd been right, it was always Laurel. She had not wanted to dwell on that fact. Not just because of her growing love for Oliver, but because of what it might mean for them as a team. Team Arrow. If it were a choice between her, Digg, and Laurel? Would Oliver really abandon them both to save a woman who hardly knew him?

Felicity wasn't exactly sure how it had happened. One second she was walking into her apartment, the next thing she knew was that she was waking up in a bright white room, the walls covered in some sort of fabric. It looked like the inside of the looney bin. It was.

She didn't know how long she was trapped in the room, all she knew was that she was strapped to some sort of chair that resembled something that came out of a dentist's office, her arms fitted into one of the white suits and wrapped around herself. Was it minutes, hours…days? It was all blurred until the door to her cage was opened and in walked Sebastian Blood.

She had never liked Mr. Blood. First off, his name alone was supper creepy and suspicious (like, seriously? Insert evil bad guy's name here!). Secondly, the fact that just a week ago he sold out his own girlfriend, Laurel, and arrested her for drug abuse. Thirdly, for some reason she always got a weird vibe about him, much like Oliver did (although, she was positive that Oliver's creepy vibe stemmed from his jealousy that Blood was dating Laurel).

At first, she had felt sorry for Laurel and the drug abuse charges. Laurel had had a pretty crappy year what with all of the drama between the Lance family and then again between Oliver and Tommy. However, that sympathy quickly went away when she learned that Laurel had been taking said drugs for the last 6 years, ever since Oliver disappeared. Drugs could only take a person's pain away for so long, soon only a psychiatrist and your own ambition to get mentally well again would help. Although, the drug abuse certainly explained away Laurel's crazy mood swings from her jumping between Oliver, Tommy, Oliver again, and then Tommy. Felicity believed that Laurel would only remain in her pain if she continued to live with it and not solving it professionally. When she had suggested this to Oliver he had almost kicked her off the Team. Heaven forbid someone show him the darker side to Laurel.

So, here she was in a space much too small for comfort, with her enemy-for-Oliver's-affection's ex-boyfriend (at least she figured that Blood was now Laurel's ex – Oliver's gonna be thrilled!) who was acting more and more crazy with each passing second that he kept staring at her.

"Well, well, well…" Sebastian's voice seemed out of sorts, much like when the Count had gone crazy and kidnapped her. Felicity prayed that this was not the case.

"Well?" She didn't know why she said that and in the most snippy way possible, but it just seemed fitting.

"So, you're the Hood's little…sidekick," said Sebastian with a wide sneer.

"I'm not his anything." She wished her voice didn't sound so depressed. Right now was not the time for her to dwell on her strange romantic-non-romantic relationship with Oliver. "What do you want?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry. I want nothing to do with you, except use you as pretty little bait. Which you are."

"Bait for who," she already knew the answer but she figured she needed to keep him talking so he wouldn't get any ideas about doing someone worse to her then locking her up in what was obviously a sanitarium.

"The Hood of course…"

"He hates that name. He prefers to be called Arrow."

"I don't care. Now just stay there and wait for Mr. Green to come get you." With those parting word Sebastian left, putting the lights out as he did, and leaving her in the damp, dark room.

Felicity didn't know how long she waited, but it was long enough for her arms to have seemed to lose circulation and her eyes began to droop in exhaustion, when there was a sudden burst of light going on and off. The sounds of guns blazing just outside her door before it was ripped off its hinges gave her hope. Suffice it to say, she had not been expecting Roy Harper – boyfriend to Thea Queen and recent serum-injected-superhuman – to come and rescue her. The sounds of guns still echoed throughout the entire institution. She watched in tired awe as Roy ripped of the hooks and chains binding her to the dentist-like chair and he quickly tore away the straightjacket. No, this was all wrong! Roy was not supposed to be the one recuing her, it should have been…

Digg burst through the room and threw what looked to be a grenade at one end of her cage before he and Roy pulled her behind her prison chair and yelled, "Duck!" The room burst from white to red as a decent sized blazing whole was made available in the wall. She hardly felt Roy throw her over his shoulder in a fireman lift and started walking briskly to a hidden car in the outside alleyway, Digg providing cover fire. When her head hit the back seat cushion, it all became too much, and she succumbed to the darkness.

The next time she awoke she was in a hospital bed. There were no beeping machines so she assumed she would live. The TV in her hospital room was running and she carefully listened and she slowly started to wake herself up.

"Two days ago, Starling Resident Assistant District Attorney, Laurel Lance was kidnapped by local District Attorney, Sebastian Blood. According to sources, Mr. Blood had a psychotic break that lead to him arresting his own girlfriend for alleged Drug Abuse charges. Said charges were dropped despite their truth. Many people wonder if it was Mr. Blood himself who had them wiped clean or if Ms. Lance's father, Local PD made the charges erase. What we do know for sure was that Ms. Lance was heroically saved by Starling's own resident vigilante just last night…"

The news reporter on the TV was rudely interrupted when it was turned off. Felicity turned her head to see Digg sitting a few feet away from her bed.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were awake. I'll go let the doctors know," he said with a tight smile.

Something shifted in Felicity. "Wait. Digg…what…" she turned back to the now black TV screen. "How long have I been here?"

Digg looked tense, as if she had just asked him the one question he didn't want to answer, but he did answer – his head turned away from her, avoiding meeting her eyes.

"Roy and I brought you here late last night. Told the hospital doctors you were mugged and that we found you in the alley behind Verdant. There wasn't much wrong with you, just exhaustion. You were missing for three days." Digg's words seem to reveal something ugly and horrible to her.

_That's why he didn't come! Because Laurel was taken, too. _Everything that Felicity had been fighting for the last year and half seemed to be crushed under this revelation. _Everyone else be damned! _The words echoed in her mind. No! No. No…

Oliver burst through her hospital room door. She had been longing to see him ever since she had been taken, and now that he was here all she could do was stare up at him in horror – her whole world crumbled around her.

"Hey, are you alright? I came as soon as I could get away from…"Oliver seemed to realize what he was about to say – _Laurel_ – and shut his mouth. He walked over to her bedside slowly before taking a seat at her side. He lifted his right hand and reached out to brush her cheek, but he stopped when she flinched away from him. She had never done that before. He could yell at her for hours, tell her off, and intimidate her; no matter what she had never been afraid of him. But, in that moment he could see the worst kind of fear in her eyes and it was aimed towards him. Oliver swallowed thickly. He didn't know why it hurt so much, having Felicity flinch away from him, but it did. It was the most painful thing in the world.

"How's Laurel?" There must have been something in her voice, because the moment the words fell from her lips both men looked at her wearily.

"Um…she's…good." Oliver seemed a little on edge that she knew about Laurel.

"I saw the news." She watched as Oliver turned and glared at Digg. "No, don't you dare blame him. This one is on you. You made the choice Oliver. Everyone else be damned." Oliver turned his attention back to her, his eyes wide just like Digg's now were. Shock and…a little fear, perhaps? They had only ever heard her use three types of voices; her babble voice, her worried voice, and her loud voice. This voice she was using was none of them. It was cold. Detached. Empty. "Did she say thank you?" She looked right into Oliver's eyes, but she didn't let him have time to answer her. "Did she kiss you? Was she worried about you? She didn't, did she? She screamed at you, called you a murderer, and blamed you yet again for Tommy's death." She released him from her gaze and looked at Digg, his eyes slowly brimming with tears. "You're not her hero, Oliver. But…" she cursed herself inwardly as her voice broke. "Y-you…you were mine. You were. Once." She turned her head away from Oliver so he wouldn't see the slow tears dropping from her eyes. "Leave."

Oliver hesitated, reaching for her cheek, but she flinched away. He practically ran out of the room, his face in a firm frown. She watched Digg follow out of the corner of her eyes before she stopped him just in time. "Thank you. And…thank Roy for me." Digg gave a stiff nod before he shut the door behind him, leaving her more alone then she'd ever felt.

The hospital kept her overnight for observation, but she was able to go home the next morning. Digg drove her, the car silent the entire ride. When she arrived, the newest iPad, iPhone, and the top most expensive laptop in existence were waiting for her on her kitchen table. A bright green bow stuck to each of them. Gifts.

"Does he think I'm so easily bought?" They were insults.

She didn't settle back into her apartment. Instead, she went swiftly from room to room, grabbing only what she needed most. The only pieces of black clothing and shoes that she owned. Her own electronics. A suitcase, a picture here and there. Then…she left. A small envelope in hand.

She phoned Digg in the car, telling him to meet her at Verdant. He sounded pleasant enough, no doubt under the impression that she would be returning to the Lair to do some Arrow work. When she arrived at Verdant she spotted Digg waiting by his car. She pulled up right next to him and lowered her window. He noticed the severe look she must have been wearing and leaned into her open window. She didn't give him the chance to speak, simply tugged on his traditional black tie. When he was eye level with her she leaned in and placed a soft kiss to each dark smooth cheek and shoved the envelope into his hands before driving off towards the airport.

She held herself together until she was settled in her seat. British Airways was nice. Only once they were in the air and everyone around her was sleeping did she let the flood gates fall open. She would cry herself to sleep for a month, but then no more.

**2 Months…**

The desk of computers in the Lair was covered in dust again. Oliver dropped from his perch in the rafters and grabbed a small hand towel from the bathroom that _she_ had insisted be installed. He took out a small bottle of polish from the desk drawer and started to rub down the computers with it. His motions were so soft that they were more of a caress. He barely heard Roy and Digg make their way down the metal stairs, smelling the Italian take out they had brought with them. Once he was done cleaning the children– _she _had always referred to them as her babies – he made his way over to the training mats where Roy and Digg were sitting and eating.

He never paid attention to their conversations. They were so typical, especially lately. Roy's endless questions to Digg – who had insisted that Roy join the Team that fateful night 2 months ago – were annoying and tiresome, not worth answering.

"Is he always this brooding?"

"Does he have a normal voice or does he just growl all the time?

"Why does he pet the computers all the time?"

"Why is it that every time we go up against some genius bad guy, he always asks himself, "What would she do?""

"Does he ever talk, or just give orders?"

"Who the hell is 'she' and why doesn't he do something about it?"

The last question is what always got to Oliver the most. Yes, he should have done something, something different then what he'd done that night. A month after the incident, Digg had practically ordered him to get help. Professional help. Oliver never told him, but he had been seeing a therapist for the first time in his entire life for the last week. So far, the diagnosis was pissing him off.

**4 Months…**

When Sara Lance reappeared in Starling City, or the Lair with Roy flat on his back and one of her ninja swords pointed at his head to be more precise, Oliver was a little more than just shocked. Especially when her first words were, "Where's my blond-bad-ass buddy?" Since Oliver had already been present, it was clear that she was not referring to him. He had left before she could say another word.

Sara just looked down at Roy then back up to where Digg was standing next to the shiny glass case holding Oliver's hood and said, "Was it something I said?"

"No, he's always like that. I think he lost any and all concept of people skills back on the island," was Roy's intelligent response with Sara's sword poking him in the throat.

Since then, Sara inserted herself on the Team. A week later she asked the dreaded question while she and Digg sparred on the exercise mats while Roy watched intently in the hopes of learning something new. Oliver was once again petting the computers with the hand towel.

"Ok, where is Felicity? I was hoping to see her be all adorable while she babbled inappropriate innuendoes about you," her voice came out sarcastic, but her eyes were serious about her curious question.

Oliver's head seemed to snap at Felicity's name. The pained look he gave Sara before he stalked out of the lair froze everyone in their places. Only one word left his mouth, "Gone."

Sara immediately turned to Roy and Digg in the hopes of an explanation. "What does he mean by gone? Did something happen to her? Did a mission go wrong?" Roy looked a little confused, the only thing he knew about Felicity was from the night he helped Digg save her, he knew nothing of her relationship with Oliver and the Arrow. It was Digg he decided to let information go and finally took pity on both Roy and Sara. He told them…everything.

**6 Months…**

"I need a job," said Sara. She was standing straight and staring Oliver down as he sharpened another arrow.

"OK." His response was too zombie like for her taste.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Oliver finally looked up from his work and gave Sara a very confused look. "What am I supposed to do about it?" Sara just huffed and walked away. Oliver didn't bother to find out what that was about.

The next morning when Oliver went in to work, he was met with a rather plain looking, bug eyed new Executive Assistant. It took him till lunch to figure out it was Sara in disguise. It was a really good disguise: frumpy clothing to hide her fit body, large glasses to make it look like her eyes were about to pop out of her skull, and a mouse brown wig to hide her platinum hair. Suffice it to say, he was pissed.

It took him a good month to accept the fact that he couldn't keep his Executive Assistant job open forever, in the hopes that _she_ would come back. Sara decided to make his life a living hell, taking every opportunity to bring _her_ up. On top of that, therapy was getting worse and worse as more things about his past were becoming frustratingly clear to him. Not to mention his therapist had decided to give him homework. He was being forced to read some ancient book called _Gone with the Wind_. He didn't see how it was supposed to help him with his own issues.

**12 Months…**

It had been a year since Felicity had left the Team and while things were going well for the Arrow – him, Digg, Roy and Sara working great as a Team in spite of its slightly cold atmosphere – Queen Consolidate was not, or at least the IT Department wasn't going so well. The new head of the department that Oliver had hired didn't know a damn thing about what he was doing. Causing Oliver, in a desperate attempt to find help, to send a panicked email out to all the QC Branch Managers (from India, Japan, China, Paris, New York, Boston, London, and Russia) begging them to either recommend someone else to take the job or send someone who could teach the new head of his IT Department to actually do the job right. He received a reply email from his step-father, Walter Steele, back in London saying that he and Moira were going to come visit and he would bring his IT head with him to help. Oliver breathed a sigh of relief, but it quickly turned to despair as he thought about the perfect person he could've given the job to. _Her_.

Meanwhile, in London Walter was having a rather heated argument with the head of his own IT Department, when his wife Moira walked into his office. Moira gave an exasperated sigh as she heard Felicity yell for the millionth time, "I'm not going!" It wasn't until Walter threatened to fire her that she finally agreed before walking furiously out of his office. Ten minutes later followed by Walter and Moira who were off to lunch.

Moira Queen had escaped to London after her trial. She had practically begged Walter to take her back, but he relented and slowly came to the understanding that Moira did what she had to protect her family. Since then the two of them would visit Starling city every few weeks or so. When Felicity had literally showed up in London on their doorstep they had been pleasantly surprised. Their happiness in seeing their old friend, who had saved both their lives at one point, was short lived when Moira discovered that Felicity had come to London to escape Oliver. Moira had grown even more disappointed when she learned that the other part of the reason Felicity was there was because of Laurel.

As a mother, it was hard to think that any woman would ever be good enough for her son. At one point she had thought, like Oliver, that Laurel was the one for him. But, after seeing Laurel tare Oliver apart again and again, that thought quickly went out the window. When she had met Felicity and the obvious chemistry between her son and the adorable IT girl became known, Moira Queen decided that if any woman was worthy of her son, it was Felicity Smoak. So, when Walter informed her that Oliver was having a crisis back in Starling, something to do with the IT Department, it became clear that this was it – now or never – the time to get her son back on track with Felicity. It was her idea, though Walter had made his support clear, to visit Starling and drag Felicity back (kicking and screaming if necessary) and throw her back with Oliver. Yes, her son was in for a big surprise at the end of the week when they arrive back in Starling with a certain IT girl.

**Three Days Later…**

It was a chilly Friday afternoon in January when Oliver walked back into his office after a nice lunch with Digg, followed by Sara who was reminding him about Moira and Walter coming any minute now. Thea and Roy were waiting for him, they all decided to meet Walter and Moira at the office instead of the house, that way Oliver would meet the Head of the IT Department for the London QC Branch. Thea and Roy were babbling about something or other to do with Verdant while Sara kept passing him last minute papers for him to sign. Digg stood watch at the door as usual. Oliver was brought out of his usual haze at the sound of his mother's voice greeting him.

"Darling, it is so good to see you!" Moira said with a bright smile lighting up her face as she hugged each of her children. Walter did the same, but everyone in the room seemed to freeze when they noticed exactly who the third person was that was standing not five feet away from Oliver.

Felicity looked the same, but different. Oliver noted that the few changes about her were…shocking. While everything that was familiar was a blessing. Her hair was still blond, but it no longer swung in a high perky ponytail, instead it was tied into a tight bun that sat low near her neck. Her skin was still pale and beautiful looking, but no longer held the bright glow it once had. Her eyes were still green, but they were just as empty as they were that night a year ago. The big change was her weight, she was thinner then she'd been before, and she was no longer dressed in something bright and colorful. She wore black. Everything was black: silk dress, shoes, purse, nail polish, even her glasses. She looked as if she were on her way to a funeral.

Oliver couldn't stop staring even if he wanted to; his eyes appeared to be glued to her form, afraid that she might vanish. Digg was momentarily frozen as well but quickly shook it off as he slowly approached Felicity. He reached out to hug her but Felicity stopped him and instead held out her hand for him to shake. Sara didn't let the stiff hand hold her back and hugged Felicity anyway, whispering in her ear who she really was due to the confused look on the blonde's face.

Oliver seemed to be rooted in his spot as everyone around him greeted Felicity. When it was his turn, Felicity merely looked him over, her eyes never meeting his, gave him a curt nod before turning to Walter and informing him that she would make her way down to the IT Department and get a firm grasp on what needed to be done that way she could get started immediately tomorrow morning, "The sooner I get this done the sooner I can leave." Her words seemed to shake him out of his zombie like state and he had every intention of confronting her but he was once again too late as she practically bolted out of his office and made her way down to the IT Department. Moira momentarily glanced back at her son, but shook her head in disappointment at his lack of movement, before walking out of his office.

"Um…well, we'll meet you at the house then, Oliver," said Walter as he too made his way out of Oliver's office. Thea ran after him, leaving behind a slack jawed Roy.

Oliver was still in a bit of shock when Sara's annoyed voice cut through him.

"Seriously! You brood after her for an entire year and then when she finally shows up you do nothing!? You men are absolutely useless!" Sara stomped out mumbling about talking with her blond-bad-ass-better-half. While Roy gave an indignant, "Hey!" at her everything-male dig.

Roy and Digg turned to Oliver who finally seemed to be coming aware of everything around him. Digg saw the realization in Oliver's eyes before Roy and yanked the younger man to safety and out of Oliver's path as Oliver finally jolted forward and sprinted out of his office and towards the IT Department – Roy would have been trampled had Digg not pulled him away.

"Thanks for that," said Roy in a breathless whisper, still a bit confused at what had happened in the last ten minutes. Digg responded with an audible grunt. "So…I'm going to take a not-so-wild-guess and say that Ms. Sexy Librarian was the '_her'_…Felicity…that everyone has been walking around on eggshells for the last year." Another grunt. "I swear, between the four of us, Sara and I are the only ones with people skills. All you and Oliver do is just growl and grunt with a lot of swearing thrown in between." Digg turned to glare at Roy, growling under his breath. "My point exactly," was Roy's final say before he shook Digg off and waltzed out of the building and back to Verdant.

Oliver made it down to the IT Department just in time to see Sara walking back with a wide smile on her face. He paused to ask where Felicity was exactly but was disappointed when Sara said, "Sorry, but she already left. Just missed her…again. Something about finding a place to sleep for the next week," before walking away, her smile still place. As Oliver whipped around and began to make his way out of Queen Consolidated, he sulked, not happy to have missed yet another chance to see Felicity.

When he had made his way to the front side of the building, he saw Digg waiting next to the car, smirking. Oliver fidgeted the entire car ride home to Queen Manor, and it didn't help what with Digg making little comments about how he thought Oliver should fix things with Felicity. When the car finally pulled up to the front entrance of the manor, Oliver flew out of the car before Digg so much as had time to stop it completely. As he made his way up the front stone steps three at a time he caught sight of Roy climbing a bit of vine that lead up to the third story balcony that belonged to Thea's bedroom. If it had been any other time Oliver would have taken a great perverse pleasure in catching Roy sneaking into his sister's room and to have the chance to kick the kid's ass, but now was not the time and he had a much more pressing matter to deal with. The reason he had been so anxious to get home was in order to catch his step-father, Walter, before he went to bed to see if he might know where Felicity was staying.

However, his question was immediately answered the moment he threw open the front door and came face to face with his mother talking pleasantly – if the smile on her face was any indication – to a sour looking Felicity. The breath caught in his throat as he continued to stare at her, not even noticing the strange look his mother gave him as she walked up the stairs to her own room with Walter. Felicity finally turned her attention to Oliver.

This was it!

"Felicity." Oliver did not miss the sharp intake of air that passed through Felicity's lips, which seemed to take Oliver's attention. Those lips – he'd had many fantasy's involving those lips over the last year.

"Mr. Queen," responded Felicity. She struggled to get her voice and breathing back under control. Damn him! Why did he have to be so infuriatingly handsome? And did he get even more…buff since she last saw him? _Think of something else! Digg and Roy in dresses! Yes, that's it. Digg and Roy in dresses._ Felicity's inner thoughts were interrupted when she heard Oliver asking her what she was doing there. He had gotten closer to her and now found herself but a few inches away from him.

"Your mother insists that I stay here until my job is done. You need not worry. I'll stay out of your way," she said, her voice once again carrying the cold detached tone it had in his office before scurrying off up the stairs to her assigned room. Oliver was left standing, the scent of her natural perfume – lavender, vanilla, and strawberries – lingering around him.

Oliver waited a good couple of hours before slipping out of his bed, wearing nothing but his boxers, and as quietly as his ninja skills permitted made his way out of his room and down the twisting and turning corridors of his childhood home until he came to _her_ room. He never gave much thought as to what state he would find Felicity in, but her lying on her stomach, the green silk sheets slipping around her waist and her back bare was not what he had imagined. The Felicity he knew from a year ago had been a babbling, innocent, blushing, young woman that gave a whole new meaning to the sex-librarian phrase. The fact that Felicity was the kind of girl, now or then, to sleep in the nude was a shocker on any level. The moonlight that came in through the slightly open window made her pale skin glow and the silk of her back seem even more enticing. He couldn't help himself. His hand moved forward of its own accord and swept the tips of his finger down the bare spine of her back. He felt her shiver, like a vibration that ran from her body and through his fingertips up his arm, reverting back down his own spine. Her head was turned to the left, arms laying limp near her head, and the mere whisper of his name passing from her lips as he continued to caress her back, shoulders, and neck brought out something primal and possessive in him.

The rest of the week wen by quickly and badly to say the least. Felicity convinced Oliver just fire his head of the IT Department, since apparently he was unteachable. Felicity then spent the remainder interviewing the existing members of the IT Department in the hopes of finding at least one person who'd be capable for the job, to so such luck. This was it, his opportunity to get her to stay. He had the perfect leverage. Before Felicity had left, Oliver had known how much she hated leaving her IT-girl job, but she had made that sacrifice…for him. Something he had not been very grateful for at the time. Although, his plan to tempt Felicity back to his world with the opening of the Head of IT job was put on the back burner when he, Roy, Sara, and Digg became very busy with a new mission. His time with Felicity was growing closer to the end and he had yet to convince her to stay.

By Saturday evening, two days away from when Felicity would be going back to London, Team Arrow hit a bit of snag when they lost their target on line. They needed to find her and fast. The last time she had been in Starling City, she had nearing destroyed Queen Consolidated, but now was the time when Oliver would finally cross her name off the list. The only problem was finding her. Damn!

Digg, Oliver, and Roy were arguing about the best way to track their evil villainess down when they heard Sara clear her throat. When the three men turned, shocked was the nicest way to describe their reactions to the friend Sara had brought with her.

"I figured it would be the easiest if she'd just track are bad-girl down for us," said Sara as she gave Oliver a smirk.

Felicity walked over to her old spot and began to type furiously. "OK, who exactly are we tracking down?"

_We? She said we!_ Oliver smiled his first real smile in a long time as he walked over to Felicity, placing his hand on her shoulder like used to. He noticed that despite her black silk blouse and black velvet pencil skirt, the red belt that held it all together was even more familiar. "Isabel Rochev. I figured it was time she got scratched off the list." He did not miss the slight evil smile that crossed Felicity's face.

When Felicity had gotten a solid location on Ms. Rochev, she walked over to the glass case and pulled the thin green leather mask off the dummy. She could feel Oliver standing behind her, the heat radiating off of his body making her melt inside. She slowly turned and looked in the eye for the first time since her return. There was no doubt in the emotions he was holding on display on his face, something he never did in the past. She took a deep breath before slipping the mask over his head and put it in place, her finger deftly brushing against his mouth and jaw before falling limply at her sides. The look in his eyes turned from loving to heated by her touch.

"Later. We finish this later," said Oliver, his voice a complete growl. Damn him! He knew what his voice could do to her. A couple minutes later she heard him over their comm link, just like the good old time, "Talk to me Felicity."

Hours later, Oliver walked on silent feet into the Lair. It was empty except for Felicity who was walking curiously around, looking for any changes that might have been made during her absence. He didn't bother taking off the green leather suit, instead he dropped his bow and quiver of arrows unceremoniously onto one of the steal tables and began to follow her around the cement basement.

"Felicity?" Oliver's voice shuttered as he said her name making his voice sound thicker then he intended, but he was rewarded with a shiver from Felicity none the less. She turned and looked at him. Gone was the cold façade and in its place was vulnerability. He would not screw it up this time. "Have you ever read _Gone with the Wind_?"

"W-what?" The look of confusion on her face was priceless. He smiled. "Yes. It's one of my favorite books. Why?"

"About a month after you left I started to…well, see a therapist," he tried to ignore the way her eyebrows practically shot into her hairline at this revelation. "She made me read it. Homework. IT wasn't until my last session with her that I realized why she had me read it. I had already sorted through my issues with the island and…Laurel," Felicity flinched at _her_ name. Oliver winced himself, but kept plowing through his words, hoping…praying that he would screw this up – again. "It took me six months to fully realize it. First I had wanted to blame everything on you. Convinced myself that you had abandoned me. Then I was forced to realize that you had abandoned me but that I had deserted you, failed you, driven you away. Then my dick of a therapist made me revisit my years on the island. I hated him for it…at first, but then I realized that it was the cause of everything. I never told anyone this but; I had a picture of Laurel with me the entire time. She'd given it to me right before I'd left. It was my only connection to home, hope, my family, anything to do with getting of that island. My therapist made me realize that I no longer had a clear picture of Laurel, but that I had built her up into something entirely unreal inside my head. When I returned to Starling City the first time, the reason I wanted to rekindle my relationship with Laurel was not because I loved her – to be honest I don't think I ever truly loved her, just the idea of her – but what she represented. She was a safe place, a haven for me to always come back to. It wasn't until you left…"Felicity was in tears now as she listened to Oliver talk. He had taken a step closer to her, then another and another. Until he was standing and inch away from her. His pause in speech gave a second to gasp through her tears for air she desperately needed, causing her bosom to brush up against his leather clad chest. "It wasn't until you left that I realized that she wasn't the safe haven I needed anymore, or the one that I wanted. She didn't know me. You were right. When I'd saved her from Blood, she didn't praise me. She didn't show me any gratitude or love. She yelled at me and called me a murderer. She truly hates me…the real me that only you know."

Felicity seemed to have lost any semblance of control as she reached up with both hand and gripped his shoulders. Her knees going week with each word that he spoke. He wrapped one arm of steel around her, reaching so far that he clutched the other side of her hip, while his other hand came up and cupped the back of her head. "I once told her that she knew me better than anyone; that she meant more to me than anyone. I was so wrong. There I was chasing after Laurel, my own version of Ashley Wilkes, when my Rhett Butler…when you were here waiting for me…loving me all along. You, Felicity. I should have come to you that night." He kissed her forehead. "I should have fought for you." He kissed her jaw. "I should have noticed you before it was too late." He brushed his thumb against her trembling bottom lip. "I want you. Only you. My miracle." He continued to caress her jaw and mouth with his thumb.

"Frankly my dear…you should have," said Felicity. She pushed away from him and took a step back, gazing intently into his eyes. He frowned, afraid that what he had said wouldn't be enough. "But…I forgive you." She lunged for him. Her arms going around his neck and yanking him down the 6 required inches to reach her mouth. Their lips seemed to be fused together for the next few hours, as were the rest of their limbs. They had an entire year to make up.

So, that's how Digg, Sara, and Roy found them the next morning; lying naked on top of the practice matts. Oliver's green leather jacket the only thing covering Felicity's naked form. Oliver was not as lucky since his body was on full display. Good thing Felicity was still asleep; otherwise he'd never hear the end of her teasing him about getting caught naked by the children. Digg caught sight of the two of them for a brief second before promptly rushing Roy and Sara out of there. Oliver just smiled and went back to caressing Felicity's bare form, her head tucked under his chin as he wrapped his entire body around her, his arms locked in place, with no intention of ever letting her go again.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: So, this is just a fun little idea that I came up with after watching the "Keep Your Enemies Close" (2x06) episode of Arrow. I felt really bad for Felicity and really thought that someone should have been there to comfort her after her ordeal with Oliver and Isabel. Thus, this one shot was born (I sort have lost control of it and it ended up taking on a life of its own).

PS – Please, feel free to let me know if there are any specific one-shot(s) you'd like me to write or if there is a specific one shot that any of you would like to pare up with me to turn into something a little longer.

PSS – Please, R&R as often as possible. Also, I posted some polls on my account page, so please check those out and give me your opinion – just for fun. I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would also like to thank all of those who have left reviews and favorite/follow this story. I feel very fuzzy inside every time I read a new review.

Rating: T/M (PG-13)

**VII: A Family of Heroes…**

**Part 1) Sisters**

"_Why her? Besides the whole tall, leggy, model look she has about her?"_

"_It didn't mean anything." – "Because of the life I lead, I can't be in a relationship with someone I could truly care about."_

Seriously?! He had no idea what those words did to her; giving her hope without the chance of a reward. The way he had looked at her, directly in the eye with the most sincere emotions radiating off of him, told her that he was absolutely referring to her. Of that there was no doubt in her mind that given the chance, he could love her. But…telling her that it was a fruitless hope? It was like eating a really good pizza in front of a starving man – pure torture.

"_I think you deserve better."_

She had meant what she said; even if she hadn't been the one he was referring to she would have still meant it. People like Helena, Laurel, and Isabel Rochev were not worthy of the good, pure, honest love that Oliver gave. He deserved someone who would love him just as pure and honestly as he did – someone who would not hold back their emotions and give as much as they took. Someone he could have an equal partnership with and would never have to hide.

As much as she wanted to hate him for giving such a tortuously honest response to her questions, she could not fault him in it in any way. He had been honest and that mattered the most, but it didn't make the truth any less painful.

So, here she was at 8am the next morning, getting ready for work with a killer hangover and pleading desperately to any higher power and computer gods who would listen that her foster sisters would disregard her drunken phone calls last night – easily described as cries for help. She knew her sisters better than anyone, and she knew that her prayers were for naught, but the prayed anyway.

As her day went by ever so slowly, she convinced herself that her prayers had been answered and that she would not hear back from her sisters. Despite the splitting headache she had throughout the day, it was pleasant mainly due to the fact that Oliver had been in meetings all morning and there hadn't been a need for them to really interact with each other. Plus, Moira Queen had come in and Felicity had the pleasure of watching her put Isabel Rochev in her place. As such, by the time lunch rolled around Felicity had fooled herself so thoroughly that she truly had been surprised to see her two foster sisters walking towards her, followed by her foster-brother-in-law, Clark Kent.

_Be still. They're like T-Rex. They won't see you as long as you don't move!_ She kept the inner mantra up even when they had reached her desk and did her best to try and come up with a good enough story to feed them for the reason she had called them all up at 3 in the morning crying her eyes out and blabbering about a certain billionaire-playboy-boss of hers. Clark stayed a few feet behind her imposing sisters, keeping himself out of their line of sight. _Smart man…_

The sound of Oliver's voice penetrating her ears woke her from her frozen state. She turned to look at him, avoiding his eyes completely, and saw the confusion written on his face. "Who are you guys?"

Lois was the first to speak, her tall 5'8" frame taking a step forward – like a mama lion preparing to protect her cub, and with the fiercest look in her eyes that Felicity was certain had made Oliver wince (yup, he totally winced, and took a step back too) and said, "We're her sisters." Lois' voice was strong if not a little on the harsh side. Felicity could distinctly here Clark mutter a, "Oh, boy!" under his breath before he received a quick jab in the ribs from Serena's sharp elbow. However, it didn't faze him; he wasn't the Man of Steel for nothing.

"We're here to surprise Felicity and take her out for a nice lunch," said Serena, the baby of the family at 20 years old. Her 5'3" frame seemed to dwarf compared to Clark's imposing 6'3" and Lois' 5'8" frames. Yes, she was very literally the baby.

Oliver tilted his head down quite far for his 6'2" height in order to look the short dark auburn haired girl in the eye. "Oh, well of course." He continued to look at the three new guys in curiosity and trepidation before turning his gaze to Felicity's deer-caught-in-the-headlights face. "Um, as long as Felicity is alright with it then…sure. You guys have fun. Nice meeting you." He practically scurried – yes, Oliver Queen, CEO by day and vigilante by night, scurried – out of Lois's line of sight.

Felicity was still in awe over the fact that her big sister had pretty much just scared the bravest person she knew, that she didn't notice Lois and Serena crowd over her and tug her up from her desk until they were dragging her away from it. She was about to make a run for it when Lois looked her dead in the eye before saying very seriously, "Don't even think about it. So much as run and I'll sic my husband on you." She would, too. Clark loved Lois, but even he was intimidated by her – everyone was – she had that effect on people. So, Felicity gave in and sulked the entire way out of Queen Consolidated, not knowing that Oliver was having a very interesting conversation with Diggle.

Before Oliver had gone over to Felicity to see if she wanted to join him and Diggle for lunch, he had been having a very urgent conversation with Diggle about his personal life. It had started out with Diggle noticing way too much about how Oliver and Felicity were being really moody and tense in each other's company ever since they had saved him and Lyla back in Russia. At first Diggle had thought it was just the seriousness of the mission that had the both of them spooked, but when their strange attitude towards each other continued back with them to Starling City, he decided to find out just what was going on with them. However, his question about Olicity (as he liked to refer to them in his head) was briefly interrupted when Oliver tried to escape and get Felicity to join them for lunch. When Oliver came back he looked very confused and…intimidated? But, the last seemed unlikely to Diggle considering who he was referring to.

So, here they were, two grown men sitting in Oliver's office and sharing a very good pizza and about to have a very girl-centric conversation. John broke the ice first.

"So, remember what I told you about my relationship with Lyla, how we were married but we didn't think our marriage would survive a war that we were both fighting in so we gave up and went our separate ways?" Diggle's voice carried an air of knowledge that had Oliver approaching the question with a sense of foreboding that usually only happened around Felicity.

"Yeah." Oliver narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he continued to gaze at Diggle intently.

"Well, we were wrong. Lyla and me I mean. We stopped fighting for each other because we thought our marriage would fall apart, but the truth is we should have given it a real try. We loved each other…a lot. We've been apart for four years and I have never regretted anything in my life more than I do for not fighting for her." Diggle's tone remained serious.

"Yeah," said Oliver with a deep exhale.

"When I learned that she'd been taken the other day…it was like a smack in the head with a 2by4 accompanied by some very loud cookware. I had forgotten how much I loved her. While on the plane ride back here we got talking and…we're…going to give it another shot. A real shot."

"That's great. I'm really happy for you. Both of you." There was a tension in Oliver's voice.

"Do remember when I told you that when you find the right person, opening up about certain things will be easy?"

"Yeah…"

"Well…I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, but considering the fact that you've told Felicity more about the island then you have me, I would assume that you've found that person…in her. Am I right?" Diggle knew this question threw Oliver by the look of dark brooding self-awareness that flashed onto the CEO's face.

"I don't want to talk about…"

"I have also noticed that you and Felicity have been joined at the hip ever since we dragged your rich-white-ass back from the island. That is until our little mission in Russia. So, what happened?" Diggle gave Oliver a look that tempered down any plan he had of trying to get out of having this particularly conversation.

"I-I did something. Something I'm not proud of. I hurt her, Digg…and I can't take it back," said Oliver, his voice growing deeper with the more emotions he was feeling then he was used to. He used to have such a solid control over his emotions, even long before he had been trapped on the island he knew how to mask them completely that is until he'd met his Girl-Friday. Felicity had unearthed emotions in him he never knew he was capable of feeling. What was that movie with Christian Bale that his sister had forced him to watch – Thea had a long time crush on Mr. Bale – something _Equilibrium_? A story of a society that had no human emotions, but one man starts to finally feel again. That's what Felicity made him do…she made him feel again – and that scared him shitless.

"What did you do?" Diggle's voice was solid and calm. Holding no judgment, just concern and curiosity.

"I…I slept with Isabel Rochev," said Oliver in a whisper, afraid to admit it too loud for anyone to hear. Diggle's eyebrows shot up into his thin hairline. He knew the question John wanted to ask, 'why?' "It didn't mean anything. I was lonely and I had…certain…needs and Isabel seemed like an easy fix to those…needs…without getting involved in anything serious. I felt absolutely nothing, I mean I couldn't even…you know…unless I thought of…well…" Oliver's thoughts went to Felicity and how the only way he had been able to _be_ with Isabel in _that_ way was because he had imagined it was Felicity he had been making love to. He was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard a chocking sound come from Diggle.

"Ok, first off…TMI! Way too much damn information! I could have gone my entire life without knowing that! Secondly…Seriously! Isabel! If you were going to have a one night stand, couldn't you have done it with some_thing _– yes, I did just call Isabel Rochev a _thing_ because she is simply too vile to be considered a _who_ – you wouldn't have to see on a daily basis!? Thirdly, how exactly did Felicity find out you and Isabel…?" Diggle made a motion of bring his hands together in a very crude gesture.

"Um, well, she came the next morning to invite me to eat breakfast with you guys and Isabel was just leaving my room." Oliver looked away, his face a mask of pure shame and regret. "What do I do, Dig? How do I make this right?"

"You hurt her man." Diggle shook his head, disappointment finally showing in his eyes.

"I know."

"No, man. You don't know. That girl has been in love with you since I first saw her help you. You remember? When she was joking about making a note of being your personal researcher on her resume, when we were looking for that family of bank robbers." Diggle couldn't help the breathless laugh when he saw the shock register on Oliver's face.

"I thought…I thought it wasn't until you two came traipsing to the island to bring me back to Starling."

"Dude, do you not realize the way she acts around you, the things she does for you? Why else would she help you without asking any questions even before she knew the truth? Why else would she join our little gang to begin with? Help you break the law? Put a pause in her career for you? Follow you no matter what you ask of her? Not to mention the…innuendos she's constantly and unintentionally letting slip about you. Did you really only just notice her feelings?" Oliver was about to comment but thought better of it as he thought about what Digg just said. It all made sense, and he really didn't know why he hadn't realized it sooner. He knew Felicity had always had a crush on him, but it wasn't until the island that he realized that her feelings could be more then 'like.' When he had seen her face of horror and sadness as Isabel had exited his room, it was then that he realized she loved him.

Oliver had thought he'd been alone in his emotions these last few months. He had finally acknowledged his own love for Felicity when he had exiled himself back on the island. When he had first been trapped on the island his thoughts had been consumed of Laurel, home, Thea, his mother, and Tommy. But, when he'd been on it those last 5 months his thoughts had been consumed of Felicity and only Felicity.

He turned to Diggle, a look of pure torture on his face. "It gets worse."

"Man, what else did you do?" Diggle's voice finally lost its calm friendliness and became exasperated.

"I might have told her something along the lines of, 'because of what I do I can't be with the person I really want to be with.'" Diggle gave annoyed sigh before dropping his head in his hands, scrubbing them over his face while making strange mutterings under his breath that Oliver could only make out half of what he was saying. Something along the lines of, "Idiots! The pair of you are complete and total idiots." He chose to ignore what little he could hear his friend saying about him and his Girl-Friday. So, Oliver decided to use that moment to change the subject to something a little more interesting, at least for the moment. "Did Felicity ever tell you that she had sisters? I never found anything like that in the background check I did on her before she joined the team."

"Yeah, well when you left after the Undertaking she wasn't really her bright and colorful self anymore. She really missed you and she told me a lot about her childhood…to help her cope with your…absence." Abandonment. That's what Oliver was thinking. When he had left after Tommy's death, he had abandoned everyone he had cared about, especially Felicity. He shook his head, not able to think of all the pain he had caused her, especially recently. He looked at Diggle, silently pleading for him to tell what he knew. Diggle paused, but gave in. He told Oliver everything Felicity had told him…

Lois Lane was a smart, confident, and a tomboy through and through. She had a relatively pleasant childhood; a loving father, General Lane, who made sure to teach her everything from simple self-defense to how to shoot with the accuracy of any army sniper; and an adoring mother who taught her the true value of love, family, and loyalty. Lois was a bit on the tall side, her body perfectly proportioned – a sharp angled face, a straight/pointed nose, large deep dark chocolate doe eyes, equally dark hair that reached just past her shoulder blades, a bright pearl-white smile, and lush breasts – in Clark's eyes she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her style was very professional, but still held an intimidatingly sex appeal with her feminine suits that fit her figure like a second skin. Her style was solids, didn't matter if they were dark or bright, just so long as they weren't prints – she hated prints.

Where Felicity was of a bright and colorful nature, affectionate and loyal to the end, her babbling and awkward nature keeping her from truly being part of something normal; Lois was strong and confident, a force to be reckoned with; Serena on the other hand was the most different out of the three of them, she was the one with the darkest past.

Felicity's father had been in the army as well, and had been very good friends with General Lane, like brothers. So, when she was 12 years old and a tragic car accident had taken both her parents' lives, there was no question as to where she would go, having no other living relatives to take her in. The Lanes had welcomed her like she was their long lost daughter, immediately being loved by General Lane and his wife, and finding a strange kindred spirit in Lois – who was a year older then her. Together she had found her family once more.

Lois was 10 years old when she first noticed Clark Kent, the Smallville farm boy. He had been the tall, dark, and handsome, strong/silent type. A complete mystery…and 8 years older than her. When he had graduated from Smallville high by the end of the year, she had been heart broken, that is until he came back each summer during his college years. Although, it was not until Lois was 21 (2 years ago) that she was truly reunited with Clark when they became partners at Metropolis' Daily Planet News Paper. They'd been happily, blissfully, and perfectly married for the last four months.

Serena Kyle was far different from both her foster sisters, having had a much darker past. Her mother had been killed by her second husband – Serena's cruel and narcissistic step-father – while trying to protect Serena from his violent tendencies after his annual heavy drinking. Serena had kept to herself after that, doing everything she could to avoid his brutal fists, until he had drunk himself to death one night – drowning in his own vomit. So, from that tender age of 8 she had been on her own living on the streets of Gotham City as a pick pocket. It was at that same age that she had picked the pocket of none other than the 18 year old Bruce Wayne. She'd gotten away and had found herself in the small town of Smallville Kansas, 3 years later. Serena was not sure how it had happened, but one night she'd been taken in by the intimidating General Lane and his wife and had been with them ever since.

It was not just her past that made her different from her foster sisters. Physically she was different, too. While Felicity was of the bright sun with her glowing peach toned skin, blond dyed hair, and bright green eyes; and Lois being of the rising dawn with her naturally light tanned skin, dark chocolate brown hair and eyes; Serena was of the moonlight with her magnolia white skin, pale rosy cheeks, almond shaped lavender-blue eyes, dark auburn hair (like deep red wine) that fell in thick curls all the way down to her waist, and Cheshire cat smile. There was darkness about her. Felicity with her constant nervous babbling and Lois with her impeccable confidence – Serena was the best of both. The baby, both in age and in height, though Felicity wasn't too far behind with her own 5'5" height.

However, three years after the girls had been brought together, tragedy struck their little miscellaneous family when Lois' mother past away of lung cancer. At the tender age of 16, Lois had taken up her mother's mantel and became, not just a big sister, but a mother figure to her foster sisters. Felicity had been 15 and Serena 14 at the time. General Lane, after making a promise to take care of the girls at the bedside of his dying wife, had ensured that all three would want for nothing. He had paid for the best schooling and then for college. Ensured that they were always well loved and taken care of no matter what. He was a loving and devoted father.

The girls would each go their separate ways, but would always stay in close contact – never straying too far from each other – either through email, texting, phone calls with bills up the wazoo, or visiting at every chance they could get. Lois had taken an interest in writing, journalism to be specific, at an early age and had made it to her dream job as a reporter at the Daily Planet in Metropolis. She'd graduated with a Writing/Journalism Major from the University of Iowa, one of the best writing schools in the country. Felicity had graduated from MIT at the age of 19 and had gotten a job in the IT Department at Queen Consolidate a year later in Starling City. Serena had been the smartest of the three girls. She had graduated high school at 15, been accepted into Brown University, and graduated at the top of her class at 19. IT was unclear as to what she did for a living – she had been just as brilliant with computers as Felicity, and just a creative at writing as Lois – although her love of explosives did give her a bit of an edge that her sisters did not have. She returned to Gotham City, finding a strange solace in its darkness. Despite their different locations of living, each city was no more than 2 hours away from each other.

Yes, the sisters were very close, each having a purpose, these three Musketeers.

Oliver was a bit in shock when Digg finished his little story. When Oliver had met Felicity's foster sisters he had not been properly introduced, but now he had names to go with their faces. He wondered if said sisters had visited Felicity while he'd been MIA for those 5 months and if Digg had met her, due to the fact that Digg also spoke of Lois with a sense of intimidation that he too had felt when she had approached him.

As they finished their pizza, Oliver's phone buzzed with a new incoming text from Felicity stating that she was taking the rest of the day off. He smiled, noting that she did not ask for his permission. That's what he loved most about Felicity that she did not shy away from him and was always willing to meet him toe-to-toe in an argument or dispute. He answered her text with a simple 'ok,' wondering just what she and her sisters would be getting up to.

**Part 2) Slumber Party**

This was bad! Like really bad! Crap-shit bad!

Here she was hours later, the dead of night had taken over the city a while ago, sitting in her queen sized bed with her two fellow Musketeers on either side of her – Clark was back in Metropolis to save it from something or other – eating Chinese food with chop sticks from the delivery boxes. They had talked about everything but her teary phone calls from the night before, and she was dreading when said subject was going to be brought up.

Three, two, one…

"You love him," said Lois. Her voice was filled with a deep sad knowledge.

"What makes you say that?" Felicity squeaked.

"Well, for one thing…"Lois was interrupted by their smallest sister.

"The way you look at him, your eyes light up whenever he appears, they rake his body like a woman possessed, and the sexual tension between you two was so thick I could have cut it with a knife. When you talk to us about him you are always respectful, almost in awe of him, your voice filled with pride and longing. And while I have yet to witness it between you two myself, let me guess that whenever you are in a crowded room your eyes always seek him out. You can't live, breath, eat, think, or bear to be without him. You fear he doesn't feel the same, or at least not to the depths and level that you do." Serena's voice had taken on a breathy longing, a desperate need filling her eyes as she gazed out of Felicity's bedroom window. When she finally turned her strangely colored eyes back to her sisters, their faces were frozen in pure shock, their jaws dropped in surprise.

"Ok, I chose the worst moment to overhear this conversation, didn't I?" Said Clark, leaning on the frame of the bedroom door, still in his Man of Steel suit, his cape billowed in the light wind that came from the open window on the opposite side of the room.

"Smallville," said Lois, but it was in the most loving voice, as if she were saying 'sweetheart' or 'darling.' She jumped up from Felicity's comfortable bed and jumped into her husband's much more comforting embrace. Their mouths locked, lips sealed, tongues tangled. Lois ran the tips of her fingers through Clark's hair and over his scalp, while Clark gripped her long hair into a tight fist and gave gentle tugs – tilting her head to deepen their kiss.

"Ew."

"Yuck."

Felicity and Serena announced at the same time. Lois released Clark's mouth and turned to the pair of them, sticking her tongue out as she climbed back into the bed. Clark rumbled a deep chuckle, gave Lois' heart shaped bum a rub and little slap and then sauntered off to go change out of his superhero suit and camp out on the couch while the girls had their alone time.

"So, back to you and your brooding boss, you love him; I think we've established that much. The question is: why haven't you done anything about it? Is Serena right? Are you afraid that he doesn't feel the same way? Is there something holding you back?" Lois's voice took on a motherly soothing quality; much like it did ever since their mother had died.

"There are many reasons why I haven't…done anything about it, as you so delicately put it." Felicity's voice tried to stay strong but she was on the verge of tears.

"Such as?" Serena's voice also held a gentle tone to it and she and Lois now flanked Felicity. Lois wrapped her arm around her shoulders as Felicity tilted her head to rest it on her big sister's lap. Serena's lain down next to Felicity, her head lying atop Lois' legs, as her hands peacefully caressed their way through Felicity's straightened hair. "You can tell us anything, remember? We made a blood oath that there would never be any secrets between us."

Felicity smiled as she felt the thin scar line that ran along the inside of her palm. They had made the oath their first year as a family and each had matching scars on their left palms. "It's not just something, but more of someone…well, multiple someones."

"What's her name?" Lois' had an edge to it. She too knew what it was like to have her man claim to love someone else. She had spent the better part of 8 years watching Clark run after a certain Lana Lang, and be dumped, torn apart, used, and betrayed by that same Lana Lang. She despised, hated…loathed Lana Lang and women like her.

"Laurel Lance," said Felicity in a broken whisper.

"Seriously! Another double 'L'…you have got to be kidding me!" growled Lois.

"Why is this Laurel Lance a problem for you and Oliver?" Serena asked gently.

"Well, she's perfect. A complete saint, actually…"

"They always are," interrupted Lois.

"She's a saint in every way and with everyone, except Oliver. She doesn't deserve him."

"They never do," said Lois, once again offering up her two cents.

"And?" probed Serena.

"Well, he's my boss, my friend, and he…um, has a bit of a complicated life." Felicity felt guilty about not sharing her own secret with her sisters like Lois had done when she became involved with Clark, but she feared betraying Oliver.

"Complicated how? If Clark and I can deal with a superhero double life, then what is so bloody complicated that you and Oliver can't make it work? It's not like he's running around saving the world all the freaking time!" Lois was getting annoyed. She hated seeing either of her sisters in any kind of pain.

"Um, well…I can't tell you." Felicity said, avoiding their shocked faces. At least Lois was just shocked, Serena on the other hand was hurt.

"What? But, we don't have secrets. We promised!"

"I know it's just, well…" Felicity tried to think of a way to let her sisters know the big-bad secret without actually telling them that Oliver dressed up in green leather tights every night while whipping around one badass bow and arrows. "Ok, well my situation with Oliver is, shall we say, equally complicated to your relationship with Clark and his not so little secret."

It took a moment for everyone to realize what Felicity meant, but when Lois and Serena suddenly realized that Starling City had its own resident Vigilante running around every night, their reactions were priceless…and very loud if their squawked "What?!" was anything to go by.

"Oliver Queen is the Arrow?" Lois was a bit out in shock, and a little disappointed that she hadn't guessed that she hadn't guessed it herself, after all she was the legendary reporter, Lois Lane, plus she was married to a superhero.

"Does that mean I get to meet him?" Asked Clark whose voice carried from Felicity's kitchen to her bedroom.

_This is not going to end well._ Felicity thought with a grimace, neither she nor Lois noticing the light smirk that graced Serena's lips. Yes, Lois Lane and Felicity Smoak were not the only sisters who had a secret.

**Part 3) Awkward Introductions**

Oliver had just finished his patrol when he reached Digg and the car in an alleyway somewhere in the heart of the glades. He jumped in and Digg sped off back to Verdant. He was a bit worried about Felicity who had been acting strange for the last two days ever since her sisters had come to town. Their comm link was at present disconnected and as such he wanted to get back to the Lair – he hated being away from her for too long.

So, when he finally made it back to Verdant and down into the Lair, seeing Lois Lane leaning against Felicity's desk (Felicity wearing very pained expression), was not what he was expecting…not at all. Diggle ran into Oliver's stiff back and gave gasp/choke when he spotted Lois, a look that was just as shocked and questioning as Oliver's gracing his face.

"Felicity?" Oliver felt a sense of betrayal at Lois' presence.

"Oliver, I can explain!" Felicity's voice held a sense of desperation as she leapt from her chair and ran over to stand in front of Oliver, her hands pressed against his stone hard chest. She shivered as his muscles rippled beneath her palms.

Oliver hated how his body reacted to hers in that moment. His jaw clenched as he bit out in a growl, "Please, do."

"Whoa, easy there alpha man." Lois pushed herself from the edge of her sister's desk. "She didn't betray your little club here. We figured it out on our own. So, don't go getting her panties in a twist just because your secret-boy-hideout was infiltrated by a bunch of girls."

"We?" Digg's voice was strained as he tried to hold back the laughter that was bubbling its way to the surface.

"We," answered another feminine voice that was coming from the rafters. Oliver and Digg looked up just in time to see Serena Kyle do a back flip off of one of the highest metal beams closest to the ceiling (a good 20 feet above them) and land gracefully on top of the metal medbay table off to the far right side of the room. She wore all black as was her style: black jeans, black ballet flats, black silk blouse, and a black headband with a little velvet bow attached to the side.

Oliver turned his attention back to Felicity – the woman he loved more than anything and anyone – who had shared his secret with her sisters.

"Why?" he bit out.

"Because," said a male voice that seemed was hiding in the shadows, "we all share a similar secret."

Oliver turned, as did Digg, towards the voice and narrowed his eyes, wondering what other surprises Felicity was going to throw at him tonight. Seeing the Man of Steel stepping out of the shadows. He was not expecting that.

"How…" Digg couldn't finish his question, but simply kept shift his gaze from Serena, Lois, the Man of Steel, and Felicity.

"You may recognize me better with these on," said Clark as he pulled up his this geeky glasses and put them on.

"You're related?" Oliver couldn't contain his shock.

"Yup," was Lois smart reply.

"Well, now that that's cleared up," said Digg, his attention on Clark. "Can I have an autograph?"

That did it. Oliver didn't notice how he pulled Felicity completely into his arms. One arm draping over her shoulders like a band of steel, while the other went around her waist. His chin easily rested on the top of her head which now rested over his beating heart. "I don't know about you, but I need a drink."

"Oh, yeah." Remarked Felicity as she burrowed deeper into his embrace. Neither one of them aware of the audience they had.

"They are so cute it's nauseating," whispered Serena who was now sitting Indian style on the medbay table.

Digg snorted and simply said, "Olicity, finally." Serena, Lois, and Clark the only ones who heard him all snorted in unison, gathering the attention of said Olicity who looked at them all in confusion.

**Part 4) Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a catch…**

For the next 6 months Lois and Serena made it their mission to visit Starling City as often as possible in order to take full and complete advantage of their roles as sisters. They pushed, shoved, and practically threw Oliver and Felicity at each other. Things went relatively well; the complications reducing themselves wonderfully. Laurel was no longer an annoying distraction that could draw Oliver's attention away from Felicity. He had finally seen the type of person she really was and wanted nothing to do with her. She had finally taken the hint and moved out of Starling, now living in Washington DC to put her lawyer skills to better use other than trying to bring down the Starling City Vigilante.

Once she was out of Oliver's life for good, Oliver had finally been able to let his feelings for Felicity come full circle. Although, having him ask her to marry him after she had been wounded by Slade Wilson one night was a bit of a shock. I mean, they hadn't even dated yet and there he was kneeling next to the medbay table – his head buried in her abdomen and choking sobs shook his shoulders as he begged her to stay alive for him – purposing with Clark, Diggle, and Sara Lance as witnesses. Despite the fact that they hadn't even shared their first kiss, Felicity said yes anyway.

However, even though Lois was ecstatic for her younger sister and her upcoming marriage, she was a bit more worried about their baby sister – who seemed to be holding a deep, dark, tortured secret.

And of course there was that damned cat-burglar/Robin Hood running around in Gotham City stealing from the rich and giving to the poor that Lois and Clark were doing an article on for the Daily Planet.

Yes, there was definitely something going on with Serena and she, Lois Lane intended to find out.

**Part 5) Her, Myself, and Katerina…**

13 years ago…

Bruce Theodor Wayne, Prince of Gotham City, walked broodingly through the dark streets of his city. He had just visited Wayne Enterprises to speak with Mr. Earl – the man at present overseeing the family company until he was 21, at which point he would become CEO of Wayne Enterprises – and had finally escaped the stuffy building the bore his name. He made it two blocks before he felt something small brush up against his side. As he looked down he put his chilled hands into his pockets when he felt how empty one of them was. His wallet – the one that had once belonged to his now deceased father – was gone and the small figure in black that was whipping past him was without a doubt the culprit. So, he did what any billionaire would do in that situation…he ran after his wallet.

He chased the scamp for five blocks, that damn kid was fast, before he finally cornered him in a dark alleyway. "Listen kid, I don't want to press any charges here. I just want my wallet. You can have the cash…the credit card, too for all I care. Just give – me – the – wallet." He bit out the last three words, his jaw ticked.

The kid took that moment to finally face him. The breath caught in his chest, his heart seized. What he had mistaken for a small boy, was an even smaller girl. The cutest little girl he'd ever seen. Her dark auburn curls falling out of the sides of a solid black baseball cap. Her small figure barely reached his hips.

He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but his 6'2" frame bent as he kneeled in front of her, he slowly beckoned her forward with an outstretched hand. She came to him, slowly, like a street cat, weary of strangers. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said, his voice thick with barely concealed emotion at seeing someone so small and helpless clearly living on the streets.

"Sounds like something a bad guy would say," said his little pick pocket, her voice small but confident. He smiled the first real smile he'd made in years since the murder of his parents.

When she finally made it close enough for him to touch, he gently pulled her to him. Carefully taking his father's wallet from her grip, which was surprisingly strong for someone so…tiny? He shuffled through it, taking out all the cash he had, which was $1,300 and preceded to hand it to her. Yet, her face remained the same, no shock just stillness, her eyes blinking up at him. So, he drew out his credit card as well and handed that over to her as well. "Use however much you want." His voice soft and enchanting. She was drawn into him.

They remained that way for a while longer. He feared he'd never get a reaction from her, but she did react. She flung herself in his arms, her smaller ones wrapping around his neck. He closed his eyes, taking in her scent – a woodsy outdoors smell that did something to his senses. He felt strange around her, like they had a connection, a…shared destiny somehow.

Once she drew herself away from him he turned towards her face, taking in the unique color of her eyes – lavender blue. "What's your name, kid?" She glance away from his unyielding gaze, her eyes shifting towards the ground in deep thought, considering his question.

"Kat. Katerina." Her voice was sure, and it was then that Bruce noticed that her black baseball cap had small black cat ears popping out of the top. He smiled.

"Well, kitten…" he rose up from his crouched position, but before he could finish his sentence he received a small, sharp, well aimed fist into his groin. He sucked air into his lungs as he fell to his knees. He groaned in pain as his kitten brushed past him and ran away and out of sight. Alfred found him in the same position about two minutes later.

"Sir, is everything all right?" Alfred's thick British accent lending an air of sophistication to the entire situation.

"Yeah," Bruce gasped as he slowly got to his feet. He walked slowly and carefully, wincing every now and then. He once again placed his chilled hands into his jacket pockets when he suddenly froze. While he had gotten his father's wallet back, he had lost something else in the process. His father's pocket watch that he'd had in his other pocket was now missing. _You've got to be kidding me! Kitten, you are in deep trouble the next time I see you!_ Bruce continued with his inner monologue of revenge the rest of the way back to Wayne Manor.

However, despite his grumbling and wincing, something happened that day. He had spent so long being angry at the world and everyone in it for the murders of his parents that he hadn't truly realized just how horrid the streets of Gotham had become. But, seeing that little girl on the streets – his kitten (he didn't know why he thought of her as his; he shook his head, trying to expel her from his mind but it was no use) – had awaken something inside of him. He buried it deep, but it would eventually writhe up and burst out, like and angry dragon, creating a creature that one day all criminals would fear. She had awoken him…

11 Years Later…

Bruce was on patrol in the heart of the Narrows, right across the street from the Arkham Asylum, when he spotted his longtime friend and possible love interest, Rachel Dawes, sashay into the Asylum as if she owned the place. He went closer, listening to her conversation with Dr. Johnathan Crane, and was greatly disturbed by what he heard. When Crane went psycho and started going after Rachel, Batman/the Dark Knight/the Caped Crusader of Gotham, burst through the asylum and made his way to Rachel.

All of a sudden a blur of black made its way passed him and nocked Rachel into the elevator that she'd been trying to access, the doors shut – Rachel was safe – and took on the full blast of Crane's toxin. Batman realized the black blur was a woman when he heard her feminine cry as the toxin invaded her senses.

The men with guns that were taking orders from Crane placed the young woman's body on a stone slab that was the height of a kitchen counter. Her body writhing slightly as Crane questioned her, she cried out again. It was almost too easy for him to dispose of the minions with gun and interrogate Crane. When he finally turned his full attention to the young women, his body froze and his surroundings blurred. Her eyes were open – glazed over from the toxin, but still clear and visible – and he saw them so clearly that nothing else penetrated his gaze. Lavender blue, he knew those eyes. He looked at the rest of her. Dark auburn curls, longer since he'd last seen them, reached her waist. Her body was still so small compared to his, but had grown lusher over the years. Her hips were feminine and so deeply curved that she was the very definition of an hour glass figure. Her waist was the smallest he'd ever seen on a woman. And her bosom…he shook his head and came back to reality.

It was easy to lift her in his arms; she weighed no more than a feather; carrying her through the dark and dreary building, only briefly handing her over to Detective Gordon temporarily before reuniting with her outside the Asylum in a dark alley. He'd never get the image of her prone figure lying limp next to him in the tumbler as he shouted, "Katerina!" bursting through the waterfall that hid his Batcave.

He'd almost lost her that is the only reason as to why he had placed the small kiss on the tip of her button nose. However, when he swiped the small starburst shaped locket from her neck with a smirk on his face…that had been payback for taking his father's pocket watch.

He had tried to find her a few days later after the whole Ras Al Ghul situation had been cleared up and dealt with, but by the time he's gotten to her apartment (it had been on her license that he'd found in her back pocket the night he'd saved her from Crane) it was empty…and she was gone.

So, he had made a promise with Rachel, who seemed to be the only woman at the time that he could have a life with. When the day came that he was no longer needed to save Gotham, then they could be together. That day never came, and their promise was never kept.

3 Months Later…

The news of Rachel shacking up was dealt sharply to his pride and ego. She had promised to wait for him, and yet she had found comfort and love with one District Attorney, Harvey Dent. The true nature of Rachel Dawes was revealed to him in slow, painful intervals. First with her breaking their promise, then with her constant judgment of the type of man he had become over the years. She missed the "old Bruce" and disliked the new one – the one that he portrayed to the world (Billionaire Playboy). You'd think if she loved him the way she claimed to that she'd be able to tell the difference between reality (Batman) and acting (Playboy) Bruce. But she couldn't.

With every passing day he missed his kitten. When he'd seen her all grown up, she had awakened another part of him, a more dangerous, possessive, primal, and lustful part of him. She was always on his mind. He thought about her day and night. She consumed his dreams, which he often woke up from in a state that he was usually forced to endure many cold showers. She was driving him mad with need; he ached for her. Damn it!

4 Months Later…

He saw her again at his fundraiser for Harvey Dent. After he'd made his speech, "I believe in Harvey Dent," he had made his way through the large front room of his penthouse and towards the balcony doors when something – someone – caught his eye. It was her, dressed in a deep blood red dress of beads, silk, and sheer that left very little to the imagination. He could decide if the dress was a gift from God or a curse. The way it encased her breasts, pushing the up, made his mouth water. Or the way the sheer fabric was only at her sides, giving him a clear view through the red fabric of her legs, hip, and waist. When her back turned to him, his breath caught, noticing the deep v of the back of the dress – leaving her back entirely bare. His finger itched to touch her exposed skin. He was content to just watch her when he was lurched forward in action when he caught the man next to her ogling her so crude and openly he snapped. He strode over towards her, almost breaking into a full sprint when the man's hand reach to touch her back, intent on ripping said man to pieces.

He yanked her away from her admirer just in time. The very idea of another man touching her made him feel murderous and see red. He gave his excuses to his guests and dragged her off into the cold dark night air onto the balcony. Gripping her close to his chest to try and shield her from the chilled air.

"Wow, you know I thought your chest was solid in your body armor, but I thought that was just the armor. Not that you need the armor, I'm sure you're capable enough without it." His kitten's voice was breathless.

As he continued to listen to her babble about his muscles and chest, he caught a brief glimpse of Rachel out of the corner of his eye – her face warped and twisted in jealousy, it wasn't flattering look on her – but he didn't care what she thought of him. His attention was trained completely on Katerina. His hand lifted of its own accord and cupped her jaw, silencing her babbling, his thumb moved over her bottom lip which was painted in a dark red to match her dress. He tilted her head back, drawing it closer as he crowded into her personal space. She let out a whimpered sigh, her eyes falling shut, waiting for kiss that wouldn't come due to their interruption. Rachel-freaking-Dawes.

10 Minutes Later…

When Rachel had decided to play hero and stopped the Joker from tormenting the guest, he'd found it honorable if not very stupid. When his Kitten pushed Rachel out of the way and was held at gun point by the joker, he was torn between pride (she had risked her own life to save his friend) and fury/fear (she had placed her life in danger). When the Joker threw her out the window…he snapped. He lost all thought and reason and didn't even think before throwing himself out the window after her. His shouted "Katerina!" once again falling from his lips.

3 Weeks Later…

Bruce Wayne had lost all respect when Rachel left Harvey after she had seen the damage that had been inflicted upon the left side of his face. She had seen him while he was unconscious, but had run off before Harvey had awoken. Commissioner Gordon had tried to convince Harvey that Rachel was alive and safe, but Harvey would not believe him without proof. They had all begged her to come to the hospital to prove to Harvey that she was alive, but she refused. She couldn't bear to look at him! So, Harvey refused to believe the truth and he had died thinking the woman he loved and been taken from him – that she was dead – instead of the even harsher truth, that she had abandoned him.

1 Month Later…

He saw his Kitten a month later on the streets of Gotham, accompanied by two other young women. He briefly heard the tall dark haired one call her, "Serena." He frowned. Serena Katerina – at least now he had two out of three names to try to find her.

The burglaries and acts of vigilant Robin Hoodism had Bruce thinking. He had a feeling he knew exactly who was responsible for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor of Gotham, but he had to be sure.

The night he found her all dressed up in her Catwoman suit, he nearly died from need for her. The suit was like a second skin, a deep v neck exposing enough cleavage to leave him breathless. She had straightened her hair which caused it to reach her hips. She thought she fooled him into thinking she was someone else when she gave him the name Serena Kyle. He let her think that.

2 Months Later…

Once his research was done, he had everything he needed to know. He made his way to Starling City just as a certain Oliver Queen announced his engagement to a Ms. Felicity Smoak – Serena's middle sister. He had made an appointment with Mr. Queen in the hopes of expanding both their IT Departments by merging them in a project that would bring technology to the next level.

So, here he was, making his way through the top floor of Queen Consolidated and towards the CEO's office. When the glass walled office came into view he was met with an interesting and all bet romantic sight of Oliver Queen making out with whom he assumed was his fiancé. Bruce recognized the blond from when he had seen her in the streets of Gotham with Serena. He entered the office and cleared his throat, his playboy smirk firmly in place.

"Bruce?! God it's good to see you. How long has it been?" Oliver asked jovially as he embraced Bruce's forearm in a warriors greeting.

"Oh, about 9 years. Princeton wasn't it? We'd both been kicked out." _Hello, to you too, Green Arrow. _Bruce thought – yes, he'd done his research. He noticed Felicity Smoak blushing crimson for how he'd caught them going at it on Oliver's desk.

"Well, let's get to business, shall we."

For the next hour they talked business and merging and stuff. His senses had dulled throughout the little meeting until they flared back to life as _her_ sent reached him. She walked into the board room, her voice lilting over him like it always did.

"Felicity, oh, hello Oliver," Serena walked over to give her sister a hug. "Are you ready for lunch? Lois is getting fussy, if that were even possible. She was fussy before she got pregnant and now it's just…magnified." As she spoke to her sister she took the time to give Oliver a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She was shocked by the reverberating growl that filled the room in that instant. Her eyes pulled from her sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law and towards the now standing tall, dark, and handsome…Bruce Wayne?!

"Hello, Katerina. Or do you prefer Serena?" Bruce's voice was low, almost to the level that he usually used when he was Batman. A shiver went down Serena's spine.

"You two know each other?" Oliver's voice carried a certain level of protectiveness to it. Between him, Diggle, Clark, and Roy Harper…Serena knew exactly what it was like to have four very overbearing, overprotective, big brothers.

"Yes, we know each other very well, a long time, too. 13 years today to be exact." Oliver and Felicity's eyes went wide at Bruce's answer.

"Um, I'll meet you guys downstairs," Serena breathed out in a rush before sucking air back into her lungs before she ran out of the board room. Bruce excused himself and went after her, hoping to catch her.

"Ok, that was weird, and completely unexpected." Oliver said confusion clear on his face and in his voice.

"Screw that, did you hear him growl at her?!" said Felicity, a dreamy look on her face. Oliver growled beside her at her admiration of a certain Bruce Wayne. She laughed as she turned to look at her fiancé. "Don't worry, your growl is much more…enticing," she said before she pulled him down for a mind blowing kiss that lead to more pleasant things on the floor of the board room. Suffice it to say, they forgot all about lunch.

**Part 6) Secrets…**

Bruce did not catch Serena Katerina Kyle, nor did he get a chance to see her again for three days. Plus, there were quite a multitude of reports from criminals of a giant Bat terrorizing Starling City.

Lois, sitting in one of the world's most comfortable arm chairs in the private living room of the Queen Mansion, turned to her sister Felicity who was lying on her stomach in front of a large wood fire burning fireplace and flipping through a wedding/bridal magazine. "Do you remember 6 months ago when we first met Oliver?"

"Yeah," said Felicity. She turned to face Lois.

"Do you remember when Serena and I made you spill your guts about your feelings for him? What she said?" Lois was very serious at the moment.

"Yeah, as if she…"

"As if she knew what it was like to love someone she couldn't have?"

"Yeah. You think…"

"There is something she's not telling us? Yup, but the question is what?"

Ever since she had picked Bruce Wayne's pocket when she was 8 years old, Serena Katerina Kyle had been hopelessly, irrevocable, and obsessively in love with him. Although, she found it passing strange that even to this day that he never tracked her down sooner considering she still had his credit card and had been putting it to good use for the last 8 months since she had become the Catwoman – she preferred the Knight Watchman (the name that Lois had given her in a particular cat-burglar/Robin Hood centric article she wrote a few weeks ago).

From a solid black Knight Rider motorcycle, her black cat suit, the cat-like-night-vision-goggles, the very painful black whip she carried around her hips, the clack belt that hung low on her waist, to her own personal secret haven in the basement of a rundown mansion just in the limits of the Palisades (the Old City; the rich part of Gotham). He had to know that she still had the credit card and that she used it. Yet, he didn't come after her – it was like his silent way of accepting who she had become, a vigilante…just like him. He went to war with criminals; she went to war with poverty.

**Part 7) Girl Power…**

The fight that Clark, Roy, and Oliver had picked with them – Lois, Sara, Serena, and Felicity – was without a doubt the worst idea they had ever had. It had started off with Oliver getting over protective when Felicity offered to go undercover to help hunt down Isabel Rochev, whom they had discovered had partnered up with Lex Luthor (corrupted CEO of Luthor Corp.) and John Dagget (a prominent board member of Wayne Enterprises). Oliver had said unequivocally, "No!"

When he explained that it was man's fight – with Clark and Roy backing him up – the girls had all gotten very defensive and walked off to cool their jets. Clark, Roy, ad Oliver – Diggle had run away after the girls had expressed their fury, with a resounding, "Nice knowing you," to three superheroes – had gone about their business anyway, thinking that the girls just needed some time to calm down. Boy were they wrong!

Meanwhile, the girls had gathered in the attic of the Queen Mansion and picking out certain outfits to complete their look for their grand act of revenge. They were going to prove to their respective men that they were more than just attractive looking females. Lois had slipped on a shiny black leather skirt and matching corset with five inch stiletto boots; a bright blue and red silk scarf wrapped around her neck and flowing down her back and a simple black mask completed her look. Her target was to scour the streets and alleyways looking for trouble from any low-lives.

"It's Stiletto to the rescue," said Lois in a seductively breathy voice. It was a good thing her pregnancy had not yet visible. She had nothing to worry about, though, ever since she had found out about the baby her body had become just as indestructible as Clark's.

Felicity would be staying behind (she planned to be working from Oliver's room) dressed in nothing but a bright blue neon lingerie. Her laptop and iPad sitting next to her.

Sara dressed in her traditional Black Canary suit, even though she had no romantic attachments to the idiots who had insulted their feminine senses, she still offered her help to get back at said idiots.

Serena waited with baited breath on the other side of the attic door, already dressed in her Catwoman suit. She had yet to tell her sisters (which she had every intention to do, it was just the when and how that proved difficult), but she figured now was the best time. So, she took a deep breath and stepped into the spacious attic, everyone's eyes facing her.

"You know, I should really be surprised by this, but curiously, I'm not," said Lois with a shake of her head.

So, here they were, four women out to get back at their men (or in Sara's view, her stupid-guy-friends). Yup, payback's a bitch!

**Part 8) Nothing Beats A First Kiss…**

The first time Lois had kissed Clark had been when he was Superman. She had not yet figured out that he was the legendary Man of Steel. He had saved her from Lex Luthor, who had hooked her to a nuclear reactor that was about to explode and blow Metropolis to kingdom come. Superman had swooped down and saved her, the pair of them floating a good 2,000 feet in the air, when she landed a wet one right on his open mouth. He'd kissed her back, and for the next 4 months she had started an interesting dating relationship with the red/blue tights wearing superhero. When Clark had finally kissed her as himself…that was when the truth was revealed to her. Their kisses were the same.

The first time Felicity had kissed Oliver he had been dressed in his Arrow leathers. Isabel had cornered the pair of them, trapped in a freezing cooler, forcing them into close proximity. Oliver had taken of his leather hood and had found a way to get Felicity to take off her bright pink silk blouse, taking her in his bare arms – sharing body heat to keep warm more effectively. Neither of them knew how it had progressed further, only that when Digg had finally came for them, turning the freezer off and the door open, that Felicity had ended up pressed against the metal wall of the cool box with Oliver kissing her breathless.

"Really guys!? Out of all the moments you could choose to finally go at it, you choose now?" was Digg's only response before he stalked off. It wasn't until a week later, when she had been nearly killed by Slade and Oliver purposed that she had kissed Oliver without the hood – after she had said yes.

So, things were going well for Serena. She was slinking around on the rooftops of the many Starling City skyscrapers, swinging from one to the other with her whip, when she ran straight into an armored chest surrounded by a black flowing cape. She was brought back to the reality that she had run into Bruce at Queen Consolidated just three days earlier and now she was facing him as his alter ego. Crap! Shit!

Serena skipped backwards, out of his reach, her whip drawn high, about to jump to another rooftop – any other roof top – when he finally spoke, taking a threatening step towards her.

"Don't – even – think – about – it!" His voice almost unrecognizable due to the amount of growling that was bubbling up from his throat. Serena watched his eyes flit from her to the very long drop between the rooftop she was on and the rooftop she planned to jump to. He was being over protective.

"Seriously! I have done this before you know!" what was with the men these days. First Clark, Roy, and Oliver, and now Bruce-freaking-Wayne. That's it! She flicked the whip anyway; latching it to a beam connection the rooftop on her right. She jumped up onto the ledge of her building and was reading to swing off when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her back down. She was able to squirm out of his grasp with pure luck. The whip still firmly in her hand while he stalked towards her. She flicked it out and towards him with every step he took, but he ducked, rolled, and dodged it completely. When the perfect timing presented itself, she flicked the whip again. It wrapped around his raised arm. She gave a fierce tug, throwing all her muscle into it, landing him on his very nice ass. She smiled and did a mental fist bump. _Wow, I've been hanging out with Felicity way too much!_ Her moment of victory was interrupted when the whip was ripped right out of her hands. She didn't know why she didn't run, but when she saw Bruce raise his hand, flicked his wrist, the whip coming for her, she froze. It wrapped securely around her tiny waist. She looked down, then up again to see him walking towards her with purpose, tugging the whip like you would when reeling in a fish on a hook.

Everything was a blur to her. The power rolling off of him had entranced her so thoroughly that she noticed nothing else. She didn't know how her back hit contact with a brick wall or how he towered over her, both his arms placed on either side of her head, glaring down at her. She didn't know what possessed her to lean forward on her tip toes, their noses brushing, to say what she said. "Kitten," she whispered. He frowned down at her. "You asked me which name I preferred. Serena or Katerina. I prefer Kitten, the name you gave me." He lurched a step back from her, ripping his black gloves from his hands before gripping her jaw with one hand, his calloused and rough hand putting just the right pressure on her jaw to get it to open. She gasped as his mouth crashed down onto her hers, his tongue spearing and sparing with hers. A guttural groan left his throat and a sob/whimper left hers. Her arms throwing themselves around his neck.

And that's how Sara Lance found her. "Whoa!" Bruce and Serena jumped apart to glance at Canary. She wasn't going to be their only guest.

"Hey, Boss, your comm disconnected. Are you…Oh." John Blake, dressed in a dark red body armor flanked by a dark green cape, matching green boots and mask, also known by his middle-alter-ego-name, Robin made his presence known; drawing Sara's attention immediately away from Bruce and Serena.

Serena used this moment to scurry out of Bruce's embrace and over to Sara's side. "We should go…now." Her voice was breathless from Bruce's kiss. Sara didn't seem to even acknowledge her presence beside her as she continue to ogle Bruce's sidekick, Robin. She gave Sara a sharp jab in the ribs.

"Oh, right. Yeah, we should…go." Sara's voice was a little breathier than normal. Serena and Sara slinked off, but she turned her head back in time to watch as Batman and Robin jumped off the roof, soaring through the air and away into the darkness.

"So, how'd it go with Lois and Felicity?" Serena changed the subject.

"Make-up sex. At least I assume that's how it went by the sounds Felicity was making over her comm about 20 minutes ago before she disconnected it. Clark flew in and threw Lois over his shoulder and off into the sunset…or moonlight. Whatever. I'm more interested in what was going on with you. It's not every day that I find one of my best girls going at it with the Dark Knight himself."

"Not one word to the team, you hear me, Sara Lance!" Serena threatened. The last thing she needed was her sisters getting involved in her relationship with Bruce.

"Sure thing, kiddo." Sara smiled eerily.

**Part 9) Irony…**

3 Months Later…

The New Year Holidays had just passed and things were going well for our superhero couples. Lois had found out that the baby was going to be a boy, and she and Clark had settled on the name Jason. Oliver and Felicity were currently enjoying their honeymoon – they had had to come home early for a mission – and were making good use of the training mats on the floor of the Lair. And Serena, well since she and Bruce had not made it known that they were in a relationship, they had been staying on the down low. They had returned to Gotham, her sisters having many questions about how she knew Bruce Wayne but she had brushed them aside until she's was ready to answer them.

At the moment Lois was getting teased by Clark about her taste in food lately since she'd become pregnant as she prepared herself dinner in the Kent family farmhouse's kitchen.

Oliver lay next to his wife on the training mats in the Lair, their naked bodies still entwined, as he watched her sleep peacefully. He ran a steady hand up and down her spine, her body draped over his in slumber, as he placed small kisses to the top of her head. She began to stir and it wasn't before she lifted her head from his chest to pepper kisses of her own all over his face, neck, and shoulders. He hummed appreciatively before rolling them over, his body now blanketing her. She wrapped her legs around his hips, tilted her head up for a kiss, a smile on her lips.

"So, how long do you think it will take them to tell us?" Felicity asked once Oliver had released her mouth.

"Who?" Oliver asked, his voice muffled due to his face being buried in her chest, his teeth, tongue, and lips giving her special attention.

"Bruce and Serena. How long do you think before they tell us that they've been together for the last few months? Or the fact that Bruce is Batman?"

"No idea, I've got more important things on my mind," growled Oliver as he made his way further south down her body.

"Oh, for the love of God!" Diggle's frustrated shout caused Felicity to squeak in shock. "For once I would like to walk down here without finding you two in some inappropriate position." He ran out before he could be traumatized further.

Meanwhile, in the master bedroom of Wayne Manor, Bruce walked in to find his kitten laying on her stomach on his bed, her long hair pulled to the side, pushed up on her elbows, reading a large leather-bound book, and completely bereft of clothing. He stripped himself of his sweatpants and t-shirt before climbing into bed next to her, laying over her from behind. He placed open mouthed kisses and nips along her shoulder blades and the back of her neck. Smirking every time a small whimper escaped her throat. "Did you tell your sisters yet?" he asked in between kisses to her spine.

"Why on earth would I do that? I'm taking great pride in the fact that I have been able to keep a secret about us, not to mention your nightly activities."

"Well, when should we tell them?"

"How about the next time we visit, we can tell them about us when we announce our engagement."

Bruce smirked and gave her full kiss on the mouth. Her arm reaching behind her in order to run her fingers through his hair. "As you wish."

A/N: Just to make the ages clear on the girls. When the girls were taken in by the Lane family: Felicity (12); Serena (11); Lois (13). When Mrs. Lane died: Lois (16); Felicity (15); Serena (14). When Lois married Clark, it was just before she turned 23 (they've been married for 4 months; they started dating 2 years before that. Felicity has been working for Oliver for almost 2 years. When Serena picked Bruce's pocket she was 8 and he was 18. Present ages: Clark Kent (31); Oliver Queen (29); Bruce Wayne (31); Lois (23); Felicity (22); Serena (20/21). Just in case any of you were a little confused. Also, Serena Katerina Kyle is my version of Catwoman (Selena Kyle was Catwoman character's original comic book name, but she was kind of ruined for me when Anne Hathaway portrayed her in _The Dark Knight Rises_; sorry to all you Anne Hathaway fans). I gave Bruce the middle name of Theodore based on Christian Bales character from the film "Little Women" where he played Theodor Laurence – it was the first Christian Bale film I ever watched. Thank you for readying and please review!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Ok, so this was inspired by the film, "Somewhere in Time," hence the one-shot's title. This can take place anywhere within Season 2, but I picture it happening somewhere in between 2x06-2x11. I should warn you that this starts out really tragic and sad, but it gets a lot more lighthearted in the second half of this one-shot. I strongly believe that if a writer can make their readers express true emotions (laughter, crying, anger, happiness, and sadness) then they are a good writer. If you laugh and cry while reading this particular one-shot, then I have done my job right as a writer. I hope you all like reading this as much I liked writing it. Please, read and review! Thank you.

**VIII: Somewhere in Time…**

**Part 1) Kisses and Chaos…**

Six hours, that's how long it had been since she had tasted paradise. His lips pressed firmly against hers, the way is hands had cupped her jaw and run his fingers through her hair, the way his stubble had rubbed sensuously against her mouth and jaw-line. The way their tongues had dueled together in a sensuous tango – it made her breathless. Six hours since their moment, the moment she had been waiting for over a year.

Now, all hell had broken loose. Laurel Lance had been kidnapped, and not just by any random bad guy. No! An old friend.

Slade Wilson had been observing Oliver ever since he had left the island and come home to Starling City. He knew his greatest weakness, the people he cared about the most, and all of his faults.

When Shado had died, Slade had been blind to the truth at first. First he hadn't known the true reason for her death, and then the truth had become distorted in his eyes, but now after 4 years of learning and growing he knew the truth. Oliver did not make a choice; he had reacted when he had jumped in front of Sara to save her from Ivo's bullet – a gut reaction brought forth by adrenaline. He was still furious that Shado had to pay with her life, but Slade was man enough to realize that Oliver had only acted the way anyone else would in his situation – being forced to choose between two very close friends. It didn't matter, in spite of everything he still blamed Oliver, and he intended to make him pay regardless. He was going to make him feel the pain, guilt, and heartbreak…and he knew exactly how to make that happen. He had an ace up his sleeve, because no matter whom Oliver would choose he would lose the one woman he truly loved, either through death or betrayal – and he knew exactly who Oliver really loved.

So, here they all were in an abandoned Opera House in the Glades, Oliver strung up to the wall with automatic metal cuffs closed around his wrists, while Detective Quinten Lance, Moira Queen, and Thea Queen were all tied to their own separate chair sitting off to the right – a perfect view of the stage. Felicity and Laurel were tied to two ropes that were polled high above their heads, lifting their arms, leaving them open and vulnerable.

They had all played into his trap wonderfully. First Moira and Thea had been kidnapped – Roy racing to Verdant and down into the Lair to inform Oliver. Oliver had acted fast, following a lead with the help of Detective Lance, and leading himself and Lance right into the mouse trap. Felicity had tracked them all down and would have been able to save them all with Roy and Digg's help had Laurel not showed up and split their group up and gotten the two of them kidnapped as well.

So, here they all were…stuck…trapped…doomed! Felicity only hoped that Digg had been able to get a hold of Sara and between them and Roy, would be able to save them from this horror show.

Slade stood just below the stage slowly making his way towards Oliver as he monologued his super evil plan just like every other really-bad-guy they had all dealt with.

"You seem surprised, old friend. Cat got your tongue?" Slade's voice was deep and throaty, but not in the pleasant way that Oliver's was that often made Felicity shiver. No, his voice had a sort of raspy quality to it that reminded them all of rusting, grinding, machinery.

"Slade?" Oliver's voice was so shocked that it came out in a rough whisper, barely discernable as far as the stage. Felicity and Laurel had to strain to hear him.

"Yes. It's me. I lived, but let's talk about more important things. Like why I brought you all here. I figured it would be fitting to have all the people you care about most witness this side of you…the true side. The real you that you became on that island. A man unafraid of killing and sacrifice; of pain and death." Slade paused before he turned back to the stage and made his way over to stand behind Laurel. "Now, my dear Ms. Lance…how long have you waited for this day? The day to see the Hood – a mere vigilante – trapped in his own darkness and about to meet true justice? The very man who was unable to save Tommy, the man you loved." Slade moved to look Laurel in the eyes. "Does feel good, seeing him so weak and helpless?"

Laurel didn't need to answer, in spite of the dangerous situation they were all in; the truth was in her eyes – relief and contempt at seeing the Hood strung up against the wall gleaming through her eyes.

Slade went to stand behind Felicity then, his hands running up from her bare arms, the tops of her shoulders, to the sides of her neck and jaw. Oliver bristled and strained in his restraints as he watched Slade caress Felicity so open and crudely.

"Now, my old friend. How do think you'll survive when your beloved Felicity sees the real you?" Before Slade could taunt Oliver some more Felicity interrupted him.

"I know the real him! He's a hero! He will always be a hero! No matter what you or Laurel say to discredit him!" Felicity's voice was passionate and strong, filled with pure confidence, her eyes trained on Oliver the entire time.

Slade took that time to step away from Felicity and slowly, snakingly, make his way back towards Oliver. "You see, even now she defends you. But it will be the last time she does so. Soon she will see you as I see you." With those final words, Slade had made his way to stand directly in front of Oliver. He turned slightly to glance back at Laurel Lance, and then to Det. Lance, Moira, and Thea Queen who were so in shock that they sat as still as statues, not even bothering to try and escape from their imprisonment – their wrists and ankles bound to their chairs. "As for you lot, perhaps it is time you all see the true Oliver Queen!" With that Slade pulled back Oliver's hood and ripped off his mask. Felicity was the only one that did not gasp in surprise.

"NOW! As much as I'd like to revel in this obvious shocker, I have better things to do with my…" Slade looked to Oliver, "Purgatory." He walked back to Laurel and Felicity, standing just behind them, in between them. "So, Oliver, do you remember that choice you had to make five years ago?" Slade withdrew a small hand gun from his side beneath his suit jacket, cocking it, before raising it slowly.

"No." Oliver's voice rasped. He knew what Slade wanted him to do, but he couldn't. He couldn't make the choice, not again!

"Yes, Oliver. Now, which will you choose? The woman whom you longed to return to for five years while you were trapped in Purgatory? The woman who now despises you. Or the woman who is so loyal, faithful, and willing to do anything for you? Your partner in crime." Slade pointed the gun at each young woman as he referred to them.

"Slade, my friend…"

"YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND! NOW, CHOOSE!" Slade yelled, his gun hand now held the nozzle of the gun up against Laurel's temple. Laurel began to cry, "Ollie, Ollie, please!" She begged. She did not give any head to the woman whose life was just as much in the balance as hers. Felicity looked from Laurel to Oliver. Laurel's cries had won Oliver's firm attention as he now gazed in horror and longing at her. He did not spare Felicity a single glance. Soon Detective Lance's cries joined Laurel's, but he did not just beg for his daughter's life, and he did not plea with Oliver to save his daughter. He begged Slade, begged him for mercy for both of them.

The moment was over. For the last 18 months that Felicity had known Oliver Queen, they had shared a multitude of intensely sexual and passionate moments (some more physical than others), each one always having a hint of something more…something deeper – each one becoming more and more intense. But, now…the moment was over and she was forced to face reality. She turned her attention back to Oliver, whose gaze had not left Laurel, as he tried to sooth her fears while at the same time begging Slade to, "Take me instead!" he kept shouting.

It was no use.

"Oliver," Felicity said, her voice miraculously carrying over Oliver pleading, Laurel's sobbing, and Det. Lance's shouts. For the first time since Slade had pulled the gun, Oliver looked at Felicity. His eyes were dark, as if something in him had died. "It's ok. You're going to be ok." Even in this desperate situation, Felicity's words seemed to have a calming effect on Oliver.

It didn't last long.

"You have ten seconds to choose one, or they both die." Slade's voice held the utmost venom as he looked upon Laurel's sobbing and simpering in disgust.

"One…"

Oliver's gaze held Felicity's.

"Two…"

He let out another pleading to Slade, begging him to take his life instead.

"Three…"

Moira and Thea had finally broken free from their shock, and began to struggle in their bindings.

"Four…"

Detective Lance began to swear at Slade while trying to offer some words of comfort to Laurel.

"Five…"

Oliver's gaze strayed to his mother and sister. Horror at what they were witnessing him do, at discovering the True him.

"Six…"

Laurel's sobs grew louder as she began to quake in pure terror.

"Seven…"

"Ollie! Ollie! Please! I love you!" Laurel's shout drew everyone's attention, but they all knew the truth. Her words were false.

"Eight…"

Oliver's gaze drifted back to Felicity…

Her eyes held no fear. Just hope.

Hope…and love.

"Nine…"

"Ollie!" Laurel's cries sounded more like whining, now.

"Have you made your choice Oliver? Felicity…"Slade raised his gun to Felicity's temple. Oliver pulled on his shackles, desperate to be free. To save her. "Or Laurel…" Slade turned his gun on Laurel.

Laurel's scream yanked Oliver' attention away from Felicity. He didn't know what she saw in his eyes then, but it must have been something, for her cries of fear immediately turned to joy as she had come to the belief – from that one small hesitation, that simple look he had shot her way – that _she_ was the chosen one.

It all happened as if it were in slow motion. The ropes that held up Felicity and Laurel's wrists dropped suddenly their knots loosening as they were released. At the same time, Oliver's shackles gave an electrical beeping before they opened automatically. They all seemed to freeze in shock before Laurel lurched forward, an exhilarated look on her face as she ran towards Oliver. But, Oliver's gaze had captured Felicity's once again.

Just then, the glass dome roof of the abandoned theatre crashed in at the same time as the two entrance doors on the right and left side of the stage burst open.

Sara Lance – the Black Canary in all her furious Glory – landed gracefully from her decedent from above. Glass rained down upon her. Roy and Digg thrust their way through the hard English oak doors on the stage. Weapons drawn.

Everyone burst into action. Roy lunged for Thea and Moira, releasing them from their bonds. Sara doing the same for her father, he quickly reached for the extra pistol he always carried on his ankle. Digg tried to regain his balance from the force he had put into breaking dawn the stage door. He whipped his weapon out, eyes searching for Slade, but his aim would be too late.

"Ten…"

Slade raised his gun, aiming at Felicity's back.

Oliver's shout stopped them all as they gazed in horror. Oliver seemed to realize that he was no longer trapped to the wall and raced forward. His legs felt like lead as he pushed himself to go faster.

"NO!"

He shoved past Laurel who was caught not by him, but by her father. Her face wore a perfect frown.

The gun shot rang out like a clap of thunder in a silent sanctuary.

"NO!"

Felicity dropped, darkness gripping her, trying to drag her down, as if she were swimming in a deep dark ocean. Strong arms caught her. Calloused hands cupped the sides of her face. She fell…deeper…deeper…darker…

"Dad, get Laurel out of here. Now!" Sara shouted. Laurel seemed to come out of a haze at her words, only just now realizing that her sister was standing protectively in front of her and their father.

Sara?" Laurel's voice was raspy from her screams from earlier. "Sara!" Laurel's sputters of surprise continued as her father dragged her from the old Opera House. Sara turned her gaze onto Digg. He glanced from Felicity's fallen figure to Sara. It only took a look for him to realize what she was silently saying. Slade was gone, they needed to follow him and try to catch him. He gave a sharp nod in understanding, grabbing a second gun from his side. They both turned to Roy – dressed in his traditional red hoodie – who was helping Moira and Thea.

"Roy!" Digg's sharp voice cracked with buried emotions. Roy raised his head to meet Digg and Sara's gazes. He gave them a nod before handing a sobbing Thea over to Moira. Daughter griped onto her mother like a life preserver.

Sara, Digg, and Roy raced from the stage room and ran after Slade. Digg had called in a favor with his now fiancé, Lyla who was bringing the cavalry any minute.

"Felicity! Felicity! Stay with me! Felicity, talk to me," Oliver's voice pleaded in broken sobs. He could count the number of times he had cried in his entire life on one hand. First, when his grandmother had died when he was 6 years old. Then, when his father had called him a "bitter disappointment" in a fit of anger when he was 14. Again, when he was 22 – the moment his father had pulled the trigger and shot himself. He cried when he had been tortured by Slade's spy friend. And finally, when Tommy had died. Now, he cried openly – huge, gasping sobs – as he held Felicity in his arms.

By the sound of Felicity's shallow gargled breathing, Slade had shot her in the lung. A thin layer of blood fell from between her brightly colored lips. Her eyes blinked open rapidly before falling on him. "Oliver." Her voice soft and broken.

"Oh, God. No. Felicity, you need to hold on, ok? Please, baby…" Tears ran freely down his face. He didn't care that his mother and sister now watched on in horror as he broke completely.

"Promise me…you'll keep...fighting. Promise me…" her voice shattered as she coughed; blood sputtered forth in a red froth.

"Yes, I promise. Please, just hold on." One hand cradled the back of her head, while the other pressed fiercely on her wound in the hope of stopping the blood. It was no use. Blood continued to seep through his fingers. "Oh, God…please…what do I do? Felicity? I can't live…without…you." He choked, his tears temporarily clouding his vision – he blinked them away.

"I…love…you." She smiled. She fucking smiled at him, and even though her own blood coated her lips and teeth, and God help him he smiled back – her pure light once again gripping him like it always did. She raised her hand limply and brushed her finger across his lips. "Please…please…"

He knew what she was asking. He choked back another sob as he adjusted his position, no longer kneeling beside her, dragging her onto his lap. He bent his head and captured her mouth with his. He kissed her as fiercely, passionately, and as lovingly as he could. With the last bit of strength she possessed she gripped her hands in his hair and held him to her. They fell limply at her sides.

"No…Felicity! No! Come back…come back." He sobbed as he shook her, trying to wake her from her slumber. "Please…I love you. I know I should've said it sooner. Please, come back. I need you!"

**Part 2) Mourning…**

He didn't know how he ended up back at Verdant, sitting in a cool dark corner; Felicity's cold motionless body draped over his lap a he clutched her to him. His Arrow suit soaked in her now dry blood. He could still taste the coppery flavor in his mouth from their last kiss.

He didn't realize that his mother and sister had followed him and now stood off somewhere in the Lair, watching his still form.

Oliver didn't look up when Digg, Sara, and Roy burst into the Lair – Detective Lance hot on their tail. He didn't hear Digg try to explain things to him about Slade. Oliver clutched Felicity to him tighter when Lance, Digg, and Roy tried to take her body from him. Glaring at them, growling at them to go away and leave _them_ alone.

All he knows is that it was his mother who helped him stand. His mother who held his hand at the funeral they held a week later.

In a fit of rage Oliver had bought a simple emerald ring set in platinum, putting it on Felicity's ring finger before they lowered her coffin into the ground.

He had insisted that she be buried in the Queen family's private cemetery. His mother and sister agreed without question.

It was a very small affair. Digg and Layla stood off to the left, flanking Oliver. Moira stood at his side, her body stiff and solid as he leaned against her. Thea and Roy stood next to them; a small rose in her hand that she would then lay on Felicity's grave before they'd leave. Even Walter Steele had flown in for the funeral, offering comfort to each Queen member. The Lance's stood in the back. Sara reaching a small hand out to cover the one that Digg had placed on Oliver's shoulder. Detective Lance cried as hard as Digg. He had a bond with Felicity Smoak – it tends to happen when you disable an earth-quack-causing-bomb – and he had come to think of her as one of his own daughters; something special and to be honored. Digg cried for his lost 'sister.' They had fought many battles together, side by side. Thea cried more in shame then in sadness. She hadn't known Felicity as well as she had liked to, especially now knowing her brother's feelings for the blond. Roy held Thea up much like Moira was holding Oliver up. Lyla cried softly and respectfully. She had held Felicity in a very high esteem for she thought the girl to be very brave. Laurel Lance did not cry, instead she stood there and watched each person's reactions, a frown set firmly in place on her perfectly made up face.

When the funeral was done, Laurel tried to reach out to Oliver – to hug or comfort him – but he shied away from her, avoiding her gaze. He walked away without a second look.

It was Digg who met with Felicity's lawyer back at Queen Consolidated. As soon as Digg and Felicity had joined Oliver in his crusade, he had ensured that should their secrets ever be discovered they would all be taken care of legally, and had insisted that his lawyer be theirs as well. Felicity's will was short and to the point. Since she had no living relatives – which would explain why she had no family at her own funeral – everything went to Digg and Oliver or charity.

Her clothes – except for a few favorites – were donated to a homeless shelter. Oliver received her favorite cardigan, which read "Pearly Queen" on the back; her favorite dress, a red number which he had only seen her wear once – to the casino where they had gone looking for Walter; and a cute bad-ass black leather jacket that he had never, and will never, see her wear.

A few pieces of jewelry were gifted to Goodwill, except for a simple locket that she had always worn which had gone to Digg.

Her computers were taken to the IT Department of Queen Consolidated, minus a few questionable programs that would remain in Verdant's basement.

Her apartment was cleared out and sold.

Everything that was her was gone.

It was the safe deposit box that Digg was given that stumped him. He returned to Queen Manor to see Oliver sitting stiffly on the window seat in the living room. His mother sat opposite him with her hand resting comfortingly on his knee. Walter stood behind Moira, saying something to Oliver in such a low and soft voice that Digg could not make it out. Thea and Roy sat on one sofa, while Laurel and Det. Lance sat across from them on the other sofa. Sara stood in a corner not far from her family.

"I-I went to Queen Consolidated," his voiced gained everyone's attention and they all turned to him as he made his way fully into the room. "To meet with…Fel-Felicity's lawyer." Oliver's head snapped up and shot around to look at Digg when he heard the sound of Felicity's name. "She left this," he held up the still locked safety deposit box, "for me, Roy, and Oliver.

Later, Oliver might have found the hilarity in the 300 page book that Felicity had left him, Roy, and Digg. It was titled, "Hacking for Incompetent Cavemen Who Refuse to Learn Anything About Computers." It took him two years to read the letter she had left behind, saying…

**Dearest Oliver,**

**I want you to know that I love you. With all my heart, mind, soul and body – I love you. If you are reading this then I am gone. Just know that I want you to always keep faith in yourself and our team. They are not just your partners, they are your family. We have become a family for we share a bond that has been forged with blood, sweat, and tears. A bond that is only shared in battle. We fought many battles; winning most of them. Remember that. We won, whether it is small or large, in the end we won; because of you and your fierce protective nature. We all brought a little something to the table: you with your fierce strength and unyielding will to keep fighting (I want you to keep fighting, for me); Digg with his moral and code of honor; and Roy with his young enthusiasm. I hope I meant as much to you as you meant to me. Just know that I love you, and I always will – I will always fight for you, trust you, have faith in you, and believe in you.**

**Yours Always & Forever,**

**Felicity**

He wasn't sure what Roy and Digg's letters had said, but it didn't matter. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

**Part 3) Time…**

Time passed in small slow throbbing lulls.

First, the week of the funeral where Laurel had tried to comfort him by giving him a kiss; he had shoved her away from him, letting his anger rule him as he shouted at her. He told her that he "should have made the choice." He should've just chosen Felicity. Laurel had left in a fit of rage at his words, but he didn't care – not anymore. That was the last time he saw her, spoke to her, or even thought about Laurel Lance.

February

March

April

May

1 Year

5 Years: It took five years for the four of them to once again find and go up against Slade and his men. Since Felicity's death he had made sure to keep not only his promise to her (to keep fighting), but also his promise to Tommy (to never kill again). But, that night when he came up against Slade once more, he took the shot, and shoved an arrow through the man's heart. It was the last kill he made.

10 Years Later…

**Part 4) Obsession…**

It had been 10 years since _she_ had died. Oliver Queen had brought Queen Consolidated back from the dead, making it one of the most respected businesses in the world. Walter had come back for good, that day of the funeral, and they were a family again. Thea married Roy a year after _her_ death. He now had a niece and a nephew. He was still the Arrow. Sara had joined the team, but left after 3 years to marry some guy from Gotham. A John Robin Blake – a detective.

Detective Lance was now the Chief of Police; he would be retiring this year; and had continued to help Oliver and his team fight against injustice. He had kept his promise, working harder than ever before to be the hero _she_ always saw him as.

Digg and Roy stayed on the team, working as one and putting Felicity's guidebook and programs to good use every single night.

He never moved on. Never moved forward.

A month ago he had become obsessed with a book he had read about time travel. He had always been obsessed about fixing the past, fixing that night. Always wishing he could go back and do things differently. He had even met the author of the book – discreetly of course – and they discussed the very possibility of traveling through time.

So, here he was in his bedroom in Queen Manor, lying on his bed on his back. The room was empty for everything but the bed. He did what his friend had told him to do in order to make this work. His eyes were closed as he repeated the same words he had been saying for the last six hours.

"It is January 29th, 2014. I am in my childhood home. Felicity is alive. It is 9 in the morning on January 29th, 2014. I am in my childhood home. Felicity is alive…" on and on he went.

9 hours: he paced his room. Frustration curled his insides.

16 hours: he sat collapsed at the foot of his bed, sweat beading his brow, tears stinging his eyes.

24 hours: he lay on his side, the words slurring through his mouth as his mind became more and more foggy.

Sleep Claimed Him.

**Part 5) Back to the Future…**

He awoke with a start. At first he thought he had failed and he fell back on his bed, but clarity and realization soon gripped him as he realized that his room was once again full. He stood up and slowly walked across the room, praying this wasn't a dream tormenting him. He opened his bedroom door and quietly crept out, making his way to the edge of the banister just in time to see himself – his younger self – walk across the entryway and out the front door.

It worked!

An hour later he found himself standing outside Felicity's apartment door. He knocked once, twice, three times. His palms sweating from nerves. When she opened the door, everything froze.

Felicity did not know what she was expecting, but seeing an older man who could easily be Oliver in ten years standing outside her front door was not it. "Can I help…?" Before she could finish her sentence, two sensuously callused hands cupped her face and pulled her forward. A hot stubble covered mouth latched onto hers. Her mouth opened in a gasp of shock, but her stranger took that as an invitation and thrust his tongue inside to tangle with her. Despite the fact that she was moaning into said mouth – it was a very good kiss – her other instincts woke up and she reacted. Her knee came up and he went down.

"Hello, Felicity," said Oliver as he kneeled on the ground, his voice barely covering up the quiver in his throat. He groaned in pain, hands clutching his groin areas in the hopes that it would miraculously heal the pain.

"Who are you?" Felicity tried to not sound so breathless and…satisfied – it was an amazing kiss – when she spoke, but it was a fruitless attempt.

"Um…Oliver Queen?"

An hour later had Felicity backed into her apartment with a big cleaver in one hand and her cell phone in the other. Oliver tried explaining to her that it was really him, just a much older him…from the future. Yeah, now that he had said it out loud it did sound crazy. He really should have made a plan for this. Simply saying, "Hey, I'm Oliver Queen. I traveled back from the future because something bad is going to happen and I can't let it. So, yeah…" Definitely should have planned ahead.

"Is this a joke? Am I being punked? Did Oliver and Digg higher some look-a-like to do this?" asked Felicity, her cleaver hand lowering slightly while her eyes searched her living room for some hidden cameras.

"Um, no. This is real, Felicity," said Oliver, trying to convey the absolute truth of the situation through his eyes as he held her gaze. She looked at him with narrowed eyes before they widened in alarm. Her phone hand lifted, thumb pressed down on the number 2 – the speed dial for Detective Lance – as she held it to her ear, her cleaver hand raised once more in an aggressive manner.

"Lance, I need help I…" Felicity's voice sounded panicked, and Oliver grew desperate. So, he did the only thing he could think of.

"Wait, I can prove it!" He tore off his leather jacket, ripping his shirt off and over his head. "Look!" he said, pointing to his scars and tattoos.

Felicity seemed momentarily distracted by his half naked appearance before shaking her head and bringing her head back out of the gutter. His tattoos…his scars…they were in the exact same place as well, Oliver Queen's. "Um…Detective…" she looked back at his eyes and she must have seen something in them because her next words to Lance had Oliver letting out a relieved sigh. "Sorry, Lance. It was just a misunderstanding…yes…I know, I'm sorry for worrying you. Yes….my um, neighbor's boyfriend just surprised me. Ok…I have to go, now." She hung up the cell phone. Her eyes were glued to Oliver's bare chest.

"Listen, I know this is really…crazy, but it's true. I can prove it in any way you want me to, just hear me out." Oliver's voice took on a desperate tone that Felicity had never heard him use.

"If…if you're Oliver Queen, then why did you kiss me?" Felicity asked, suspicion once again entering her voice.

Oliver's eyes and voice took on a softer quality as he looked at her and said, "Because I love you."

"Oh, my God! You really are a crazy person!" Felicity was about to call Detective Lance again when her cell phone was suddenly yanked from her hand. "Hey!"

"Wait…listen…I can prove I'm Oliver Queen. Ask me anything!"

"Fine, what is Oliver Queen's biggest secret?"

"I'm secretly in love with you." Felicity raised an annoyed eyebrow at that answer. "Ok…I'm secretly the Vigilante, Arrow, but before that I was called the Hood, but I never liked that name." Felicity's eyes widened.

"If you are the vigilante, what is the passcode to your secret Lair?"

"Your birthdate."

"Ha, you're wrong!" She raised her cleaver once more.

"No, I'm not. It's 073191, July 31st 1991…your birthdate." Felicity thought about it for a second and realized it was the digits of her birthdate – month, day, and year.

"I-I never realized that before. Ok…what is my middle name?"

"Meghan."

"That was an easy question. How did we first meet?"

"I came to you with a bullet riddled laptop and a bad lie, and if you'd like more proof. The second time was when I came to you asking you to help me find a friend who was really a bank robber. Then that time I asked you to track down the location of where a black arrow had been delivered. There was the time I asked you to decrypt a military security encrypted flash drive. And of course, who could forget my horrible lie about my lack of sports bottles for a mysterious syringe filled with drugs. The time I came to you after my mother shot me…I can keep going if you want me to?"

Felicity looked at him with wide, shocked eyes before she finally lowered the very sharp looking cleaver. "So, you're really…"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I told you. Something really bad happens in the future and I have to…I _need_ to change it." Before Felicity could interrogate him anymore, her cell phone began to ring. Oliver looked down into his hand and saw his own name flash across the screen. He handed the cell phone back to her. "It's…well, me." Felicity took the phone from him and answered it, her voice finally able to sound somewhat normal as she told him, well…present-day-him that everything was alright. Detective Lance must have called the Vigilante after her panicked and strange call to him.

"Yes Oliver I'm fine, I promise. Um, is it possible to meet me at verdant in a couple of hours? I know it's Saturday, but there is something I need to…yes. Ok, I'll see you and Digg at one o'clock." She quickly hung up and Oliver was once again pulled back to her intense gaze. "Ok, explain. Everything."

So, he did.

Ok, not everything. He did not tell her that she was the one who died, only that someone they all love would be killed by someone he once thought of as a friend that he met on the island. He gave her further proof by telling her certain things about the island that only she knew about. By the time one came around, Felicity had convinced him that they should talk with his past self and Digg so that they could better come up with a more reliable plan to stop this "Crazy Slade person" as she so kindly put it.

Twenty minutes later, Mr. Future Oliver – whom Felicity had been giving some very intense looks to (she was still in shock over the "I love you" confession) – had positioned himself behind her desk of computers and other high-tech instruments that he had no idea of their uses. Felicity sat in her office style chair, her hand ringing in nervousness, when the present-day-Oliver and Digg came bounding down the metal stairs to the Lair beneath Verdant.

"Felicity, what's wrong? Lance said you sounded weird when you called him and you sounded off when we…" Oliver paused when he realized that Felicity was not alone, before pulling his bow and a very sharp green arrow from their perch and glass case and aiming it at the obvious intruder. Digg pulled his gun and took aim. "Who are you?" Oliver used his Arrow voice as he spoke to the man positioned behind Felicity before turning his hard gaze on her. "What is this Felicity?"

"Whoa, guys!" Felicity jumped from her chair and put herself directly in front of the arrow aimed at future guy. "Oliver, he's you!" Oliver and Digg looked at each other before turning their gazes back to Felicity. "He's you…from the future." At their incredulous faces, Felicity turned back to Future Oliver and said, "Yeah, you're right. That really does sound crazy."

"Ok, what did you give her? Drugs? Hypnosis?"

"Oliver! I'm serious! And he can prove it, too. I asked him stuff. Stuff only you would know and he does."

"Why is he striping?" Digg interrupted them and they all turned to look at future Oliver to see him once again pulling his shirt over his head to reveal the exact same tattoos an scars as present-day-Oliver.

"See, just look at him," pleaded Felicity. Oliver killing his future self was not an event that she wanted to deal with, ever.

So, Oliver and Digg looked…really looked, and they saw: the same straight nose, the same strong masculine jawline, the same piercing silver-blue eyes, the same dirty-blond hair (the only difference being a few stray grey hairs along his temple), the same amount of scruff on said jaw, the same muscle tone, the same tattoos, and the same scars (with a few additions).

Digg was the first to break the intense silence. "Ok, this is just too weird." He raised his hands to rub his fingers along the side of his head, a clear sign of a growing headache.

"Fine, but I want one more piece of proof." growled present-day-Oliver.

So, that is how they ended up two hours later with Present and Future Oliver now both shirtless and fighting each other in hand-to-hand combat on the training mats, Felicity watched with rapt attention. She had always admired Oliver's physique, but watching two of him half naked and very sweaty was making her think some very naughty thoughts involving both of him…at the same time. She shivered and tried to shake her head out of the gutter. It was a hopeless effort, though. Her mind always seemed to be in the gutter whenever Oliver Queen was involved. She didn't even notice when Roy came down into the Lair, not until she overheard Digg explaining things to him. Felicity was yanked from her dirty thoughts involving Present and Future Oliver when Future Oliver turned to his past self/present self (this is really confusing) and said, "We need to talk…alone."

Felicity's curiosity sparked and she protested very loudly while Digg and Roy practically dragged her out of the Lair and off to get something to eat at Big Belly Burger.

**(A/N: Now that Oliver is going to have a conversation with himself, I will be putting both names in different formats in order for you guys to tell the difference. Present-day-Oliver is just "Oliver" in regular font. Future Oliver is going to be in italics: **_**Oliver**_**. I hope this makes things easier to understand.)**

Oliver watched as…_Oliver_ gazed longingly after Felicity's retreating figure. _Wow, now I know how Digg feels so annoyed whenever I talk in third person_, thought Oliver.

_Oliver_ caught himself watching Felicity. "What?"

"The way you look at her. It's like…are we, I mean Felicity and I, are we…together in the future?" asked Oliver, a rare hopefulness sounding in his voice.

_Oliver_ gave him a bitter smile as he looked off into the distance, his eyes just as dark as his thoughts. "No." He noticed Oliver's gaze drop in what could only be seen as disappointment. "We never got the chance."

"What do you mean?"

"I-I told Felicity," _Oliver's_ voice took on a tender sound when he said her name. "I told her that something bad happens in the future, and I came back to stop it from happening. The truth is, 'bad' is an understatement. What happens is…horrific…tragic…heartbreaking. I have to change it. I have to fix it."

"What happens?" Oliver dreaded what _Oliver_ might say next. He was scared to death, something that did not happen very often – not since the island – of what he was about to learn about his future.

"She dies." _Oliver_ clenched his eyes as the memories of that night flashed through his mind.

Oliver chokes on a gasp, his hands clenched into fists, as he tries to regain his breathing. His mind races at all the possibilities of…How? Why? When? "How?" he rasps out.

"You remember our old friend, Slade Wilson?" Oliver nods his head yes. His eyes widen as he realizes what _Oliver_ is telling him. "He's not dead. He wanted revenge for Shado. So, he…he makes us choose…between Felicity and…"

"Laurel."

"Yeah."

Oliver took in what _Oliver_ had just revealed, before his entire body stiffened as a horrific realization tore through his mind. "It was my fault. I made the choice, didn't I?! That's why she dies."

"No, not necessarily. We don't choose either of them. At least, not on purpose. We wanted to make the choice. We want to choose her, but…I hesitated. Laurel thought that I chose her because I hesitated and she pretty much made the choice for me. Slade noticed Laurel and that she thought I'd chosen her and so he…he shot Felicity." _Oliver_ choked on his tears that had gotten stuck in his throat. "He made it last, purposefully shooting her in the lung. She died fast enough for it not to be painful, but slow enough for me to watch." He didn't stop the slow, silent tears that fell from his distraught eyes. "She died in my arms."

Oliver couldn't believe it, that it wasn't just him who was at fault, but Laurel, too. He turned to _Oliver_, leaning his arms on the med bay table in the center of the Lair, his head tilted forward in concentration – mirroring _Oliver's_ pose. "Tell. Me. Everything."

**Part 6) Always You…**

Hours later Felicity was sitting on her very comfy couch, her mind firmly on Oliver and everything that had transpired in the last twelve hours. She had been having an internal debate as to whether she should run back to the Lair and offering Oliver any help; anything to just be around him. She finally jumped up from her couch, determined to help him – whether he welcomed it or not – and headed to her front door, grabbing her jacket, keys, and purse on the way. So, it was an absolute shock to see Oliver – the one and only, Oliver – standing on the other side of her door, his hand poised to nock as she whipped her front door open.

"Oh, hey. Where's Future you?" Felicity put her purse and keys back on the small side table next to her door and threw her jacket on the chair a few feet away.

"He went back to the future."

"Oh." Felicity noticed the sadness in Oliver's eyes. "Are you ok? You seem really…not yourself."

Oliver couldn't help the small smile that split across his face at her choice of words. "I just really needed to see you. And…I wanted to let you know…" he rubbed his hands over his face as if it would wipe away the pain and worry. When his hands dropped, it wasn't they that took away the weight that had been on his shoulders since his future self revealed his true purpose in coming here; no, it was when his gaze fell upon Felicity once more that the burden was finally lifted. It had taken him so long to realize it, but that often happened when he was in Felicity's presence. Her light took away the darkness that seemed to cloak him.

He stepped over the threshold of her apartment entrance and slowly began to stalk her backward until her back hit the opposite wall. "I want you to know that I chose you. I will always choose you."

"Oliver, I…" Felicity did not get the chance to finish before Oliver took one last step towards her. His hands cupped her face gently, and yet the roughness from the callouses on his hands lend an air of rough sensuality to that moment.

"I. Love. You. Only. You." Each word he spoke was punctuated with a kiss; first her forehead, then her eyelids, her nose, and finally her mouth. She expected his kiss to be rough, but it was slow and sensual instead. His lips brushed over her with a feather light touch before his mouth clasped hers. He used his thumb and forefinger to press against her jaw and chin, bidding her mouth to open. She granted him access. His tongue slid inside her mouth, brushing over the rough of her mouth, dueling with her own tongue. He was slow and unhurried, but the sob/whimper that broke through her throat as she threw her arms and legs around him. He caught her, lifting her as she wrapped herself around him. The kiss turned rough and demanding as he tried to convey every sing emotion he felt in that single moment. She faintly heard the distinct sound of ripping fabric as he tore her simple dark green t-shirt from her body as he carried her through her apartment, kicking the front door closed on his way, landing on the floor as he laid them both down in front of her little fireplace in the living room. The rough fabric of the carpet scraped against her bare back. When she finally came back to reality, Oliver was in the process of removing her bra and sliding her small boy-shorts down her legs, until she lay beneath him in nothing but her own flesh. Felicity finally became a more acting participant and did to his shirt what he had done to hers – tore it off him. He seemed to enjoy her aggressiveness if his growl was anything to go by. When they were both naked they came together…finally. Writhing and twisting. Cries and growls of passion. Sobs/whimpers and groans of ecstasy. He pinned her hands above her head as his head buried itself in her neck, leaving yet another mark against her skin – they littered her body as he claimed her as his. Her legs held firm around his waist as he took her again and again and again, until there was nothing left to give. Her scream and his shout of release seemed to echo around them.

Now their bodies lay at rest, limbs tangled and hearts calmed, Oliver holding her from behind as she slept; his arms wrapped securely around her as if he were afraid she'd vanish into thin air. He would heed the advice and knowledge that his future self had given him. if he was forced to make the choice then he would make it and he would not regret it, he knew that now. He was no longer tied down by family – they could and would survive without him – by friends – Digg, Roy, and Sara could move on with their lives and carry on the crusade he had started; they would understand any sacrifice he'd make – or Laurel – for he was no longer blinded by her false veil of perfection, she no longer held him together. Only her, Felicity…she held him together and kept him going. He only needed her, for he could live without the rest. He would keep her safe and they would live ridiculously happily ever after together. He'd make sure of it.

A/N: Did anyone else notice in the episode, "Blind Spot" that Sara revealed that Laurel won Oliver by tricking her sister – who had a crush on him first – into getting grounded and kept away from him so she could capture his heart instead?! Yeah, Laurel totally has a dark side that Oliver really needs to realize! Also, she shot a guy! I mean isn't she the one whose against vigilante justice and going outside the law?! And yet, she shot a guy like five times – totally was trying to kill him, otherwise she would have shot to wound and not as many times as she did – in cold blood! I hope Oliver starts to see the real her from now on.

I hope you enjoyed this story. Please, read and review. Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: As I have pointed out in the many previous chapters, I strongly believe that Oliver's emotional and mental image of Laurel is much distorted and that he seriously needs to see her for who she really is. With Laurel's ever growing problematic behavior (first with her pitting Oliver/Tommy against each other, then starting a witch hunt to bring down the Vigilante, and now her addiction problem with pain meds/alcohol) and now Sara's revelation that Laurel sabotaged her chances of being with Oliver first; I strongly feel that Oliver needs to see the much darker side of Laurel. This was inspired with the earlier episodes of season two when Laurel first started to target the vigilante and tried to bring him down, and it came full circle after the last couple episodes: "Blind Spot" and "Tremors."

I hope you all enjoy reading this little one-shot as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please, read and review! I love hearing from you guys and if any of you have any requests or would like to adopt one of these one-shots to make it into something longer, please PM me and we'll talk. Thank you!

**VIIII: The Eyes See True**

"The heart lies and the head plays tricks on us, but the eyes see true." – _Game of Thrones_

Oliver fidgeted as he continued to pace around the ball room at his family's home. He'd been forced to opt out of the regular patrol and let Digg take his place when Isabel and his mother decided to host a charity gala to help make Queen Consolidated and the Queen family look more appealing to the public. He hated this. He wanted to be with his team instead of kissing up to the arrogant rich guests that had infiltrated his home.

Meanwhile, Digg took Roy on his first mission; a typical patrol through the Glades. Felicity was guiding them through it all back at the lair. All was going well – they had taken down two drug dealers and a handful of muggers – until they were suddenly surrounded by police, SWAT, and snipers. Roy (dressed in his newly made red leather Hood suit courtesy of Felicity; her "welcome to the team" gift) and Digg (who wore Oliver's regular Green Arrow suit) looked around them for an exit, but found none. The clacking of heels brought Digg and Roy's attention as they watched Laurel Lance walking towards them. They could faintly hear Felicity on the other side of their comm link telling them to sit tight and wait for her to get them out of there safely before disconnecting the link.

Laurel Lance stopped just thirty feet away from the Green Arrow and his new sidekick, the Red Hood. There was a smirk stretched across her face as she looked on gloatingly at the man she believed to be responsible for the death of Tommy Merlyn – the man she loved. "Well, looks like you have nowhere to hide, now. Green Arrow, you are under arrest for the murder of Tommy Merlyn, anything you say can and…" Just as Laurel was reading them their rights, a loud banging sound echoed through the old warehouse they had all found themselves in, Felicity bursting through one of the doors hidden behind a large rusted out piece of machinery.

"Stop!" Felicity yelled. One of the policemen grabbed her and yanked her forward and threw her into the circle that was surrounded by well-aimed guns. Roy caught her before she could fall. Both he and Digg heard her whisper "roof" and were easily able to understand that she was telling them that their only escape was through the glass roof of the building.

"You? You're helping them? Does Oliver know about this?" Laurel looked towards Felicity with absolute unreserved dislike. "Well, if you associate yourself with the likes of these murderers, then I hereby find you guilty, too." Said Laurel, raising her right hand to reveal a hand gun pointed at the three vigilantes. Felicity didn't think she just acted. She forgot about the fact that Roy was now practically invincible and that one measly little bullet wouldn't hurt him, or the fact that Digg was a soldier – fast and able to dodge bullets a lot better than her. Felicity took one step forward – she had been placed in between Roy and Digg, a way of protection – and she was now standing in front as a human shield. She didn't care about the consequences all she cared about was protecting her team…her friends…her family.

"Please, Laurel! You don't want to do this. Tommy wouldn't want you to become this person." Pleaded Felicity, her hands outstretched, palms facing up, in a gesture of surrender and peace.

"You know nothing about Tommy!" Screamed Laurel.

A single gunshot rang out. Their ears rang from the force of sound. Hearts pumped in adrenaline and fear of who would be hit.

Digg acted quickly, using Laurel's moment of rage to shoot above them and crash the glass roof down upon them. The air was one of the grappling hook-tipped ones. It was slower then it normally was what with the three of them hanging on for dear life as they were pulled up and out of danger. They raced across the roof of the dilapidated warehouse until Digg and Roy realized that Felicity had fallen behind.

"Felicity, come on! We have to get back to the Lair before Laurel catches up with us," said Digg and he and Roy back tracked a few paces to grab Felicity. When Roy reached for her left arm and pulled, Felicity let out an inhuman cry of pain before she fell to her right against Digg. Roy's hand came back with blood and it was then that their question had been answered. Laurel had shot Felicity. "Oh, My God!"

"We have to get her back and stop the bleeding," said Roy as he tore of one of his sleeves and wrapped it around her shoulder and arm. Felicity let out a gargled whimper before Digg told Roy to take Felicity while he would cover them. Everything from that point of was a blur. She felt Roy lift her up off the ground. At one point she felt the cold of the metal med bay table as she was laid across it. The small tug-tug of the stitches pulled at her consciousness. She faintly heard Digg and Roy whisper to her in reassurance. Her hand was placed limply in Roy's as Digg stitched her up. Her vision once clouded over with Oliver's face. When had he arrived? Then there was only blackness as she was sucked into oblivion.

When Oliver had gotten the desperate call from Roy an hour into the charity ball, he'd been almost relieved to have a reason to leave. Roy had begged him to get to the Lair as fast as possible. HE hadn't even thought about what could have happened that would cause Roy to call in such a panic, all he focused on was getting out of there and back to a place that he felt more at home in. So, he made his exit and raced to his Lair beneath Verdant, all the while wondering what the problem was that Roy had refused to tell him over the phone.

It was such a surprise to arrive at the only place that seemed to make sense in his world to see Felicity lying half unconscious and bleeding with a small hole in her left shoulder that just barely missed her heart. Before the worry and concern set in, he recalled how her wound mirrored the one his mother had given him a year ago. But, when the worry – and anger – reached his brain, nothing else mattered but getting answers.

"What happened?!" Oliver half growled and half shouted at Roy and Digg.

"Ask your girlfriend," was Roy's sarcastic retort. It was a false one, too. Laurel and Oliver hadn't been together for a good eight months, and the likelihood of them ever being together was slim to none – there was too much history between them – but everyone knew (especially the members of Team Arrow) how Oliver still felt about Laurel.

"What?" Oliver asked, his eyes briefly shooting to Roy before glancing to Digg for a better explanation. It wouldn't be what he wanted to hear.

"Laurel," was Digg's only reply. Oliver glanced from Digg's work of stitching up Felicity's wound to Felicity herself. Back and forth. Back and forth. Laurel had done this? Why? "She trapped Roy and me in a warehouse. She's even more hell bent on bringing the Arrow/Hood to justice for what happened to Tommy. She was going to shoot Tommy and me when Felicity put herself in the line of fire. She didn't even hesitate, Oliver. She pulled that trigger knowing exactly who Felicity was and she didn't even care."

Oliver hadn't realized that he'd voice his questions aloud until Digg started answering them. "No…" Oliver couldn't believe it. Surely Laurel wasn't that far gone that she'd shoot Felicity point blank…then again she did shoot that dirty cop who'd been behind the skull mask…but…

"You want proof, Oliver? Then go right ahead and watch it." Digg looked over to Felicity's desk of computers to see that Roy had pulled up a video from an old security camera in the warehouse that this had all started at. "But, so help me. If you think that Laurel shouldn't get some measure of punishment for what she's done to Felicity, then this partnership is over and you go back to doing things on your own, because there is no way in hell I'm letting Roy and Felicity stay here to constantly offered themselves up as chew toys – myself included – for you to spit out and leave behind for Laurel every time things go wrong with her." With that said, Digg walked over to where Roy had moved, near the table with the grinding stone Oliver used to sharpen his arrows, to sit next to the young man and watch over Felicity. None of them were leaving. Not until she had woken up and was alright.

Oliver slowly moved towards the desk of computer and sat in the chair Felicity often occupied. He dreaded what the security footage would show him. As he watched on in horror, things started to unravel. His world that he had so carefully put together – the world that surrounded Laurel Lance – crumbled as truth after agonizing truth fell into place.

Digg and Roy watched as Oliver eventually moved back to Felicity's side, looking down upon her sleeping form. "How much longer will it take, do you think?" Digg turned to Roy, a frown of confusion scrunching up his forehead. "For him to realize the treasure he's got right under his nose?" said Roy as he nodded towards Felicity's prone figure. Digg took a deep breath before letting it out with a resigned sigh.

"Too long. Far too long."

_**Rant III: Olicity?!**_

So, as I have made it clear in my past postings, I strongly believe that Laurel and Oliver are NOT really in love with each other, probably never were. I came to this conclusion shortly after season 2 started. Some of you may agree with me whole heartedly based on some of the psychological reasons that I will be sharing with you later on in this post, and others may agree with me merely because you dislike Laurel as much as I do.

I have stated before that Laurel is a "saint." She is a good human being who wishes to help the less fortunate; she has high moral standards, and tries to see the good in people. There in lay the problem. Saints are extremely hard to please because they often hold themselves, and others, on a pedestal so high that their image becomes warped over time. They are the hardest people to please because they will always ask you to reach impossible levels of goodness that you'll never be able to reach – an impossible goal.

1st and foremost, Laurel is the typical girl next door (nothing really unique about her; she is a beauty that every man wants and expects…very typical) – a good girl – that falls for the bad-boy childhood friend. She once mentioned that she is an all or nothing kind of girl, which she throws herself into each relationship completely. This is not a good thing nor is it logical. When you expect too much of a person in any relationship (family/friend(s)/lover(s)/spouse) it is bound to fail. If you ask too much of someone, the result is the same – failure. Love is about balance, in my opinion. Light & Dark. Faith & Trust. Friendship & Lovers.

When you love someone, nothing else matters (call me old fashioned). You are willing to do anything and everything (within reason) to ensure the other person's happiness. However, they should do the same. That is where the balance comes from – you love them unconditionally and they love you unconditionally. As some of you can see, Laurel has a lot of conditions/expectations when she is with someone in a relationship. She either expects too much, not enough, or wants to change that person (like how she wants to change Tommy into a better person, or how she wanted to tame pre-island Oliver). When you love someone, you love them in spite of their flaws – in fact you start to love them because of their flaws because that is what makes them who they are.

2nd, Laurel is hell bent on changing people and turning them into the person she thinks they should be. Oliver once said that Laurel "knew him better than anyone." FALSE! Laurel has never known the real Oliver, even before the island; otherwise she would never had tried to pressure him to take their relationship to the next level because she would have realized that he wasn't ready.

As I have said before, I have never condoned cheating and what Oliver did to Laurel and Sara was WRONG! However, it was not unexpected given the type of person he was before the island.

When Laurel gave him the picture of herself so that he "wouldn't forget her" and "incase he got lonely." She pretty much is giving him a reminder that he's a taken man and shouldn't doing anything to ruin that while he's gone. So, essentially she had a feeling that he might try to do something behind her back and she wanted to give him a reminder that he was already in a relationship. If she expected him to betray her even then, why would it have been such a surprise that he cheated on her with Sara in the first place? And why did she stay with him then if that was the type of man he was to begin with?

3rd, while on the island the only reminder of home that Oliver has with him is the picture of Laurel which he associated psychologically everything about getting off the island with her: family, home, Tommy, Laurel herself, escaping the island, etc. So, it's not really Laurel he misses, but what her picture represents. When he finally returns home he immediately wants to reconnect and make things right with Laurel first and foremost because everything he cares about has become associated with her. That's why he opens up to her (despite the fact that she appears to want nothing to do with him) instead of with people who actually care about him (like Moira, Walter, Thea, and Tommy who are all actually glad that he's home).

4th, She falsely claims that she wants nothing to do with Oliver, that he and her are over, yet she never really tells Oliver this (except when he first comes home; and then when she asks him to talk to Tommy for her). She tells everyone else that they are over, but lets him chase after her anyway. Like when she and Oliver have secret lunch plans that she kept secret from Tommy. If things were really over between her and Oliver, why would she feel compelled to keep a simple lunch date secret from Tommy? She essentially pits two really good friends against each other.

5th, She is so hell-bent on getting Tommy back when he ends things with her, but she sleeps with Oliver while they are separated. At the beginning of season 2, she tells Oliver it was a mistake that they had sex…

She put the idea into his head that it was a betrayal to Tommy! He has enough to deal with already.

6th, Blames the Vigilante/Hood for Tommy's death (not really sure how she sees it that way) simply because he didn't save Tommy in time. Hello, he was trying to save the ENTIRE CITY! Plus, Tommy died trying to save her, so I find it strange that she feels no guilt over his death.

7th, Becomes a drug addict in season 2 because she can deal with her grief, instead of getting professional help. She dwells way too much in the past – constantly bringing up Sara's "death" whenever she meets up with Oliver.

Now, moving on from some of the repetitiveness on the points above, here all the reasons as to why I believe Oliver should be with Felicity…

1st, She doesn't question Oliver when he first comes to her for help. She also saves him from his gunshot wound after being shot by his mother and therefore joining his gang – making her one of two other people that know the real Oliver.

2nd, While she doesn't always agree with his methods she doesn't force him to change (only suggests that he try to be better), she also never judges him for what he does.

3rd, Faithful, loyal, and a true friend.

4th, My mother always told me to marry my best friend because they would know me the best. Oliver's truest best friend is Felicity and therefore she is the one who knows him the best – NOT LAUREL!

5th, Not afraid of him, she is always willing to face him, argue with him, and is not afraid to put him in his place – when it is appropriate to do so.

6th, Is willing to sacrifice her time, safety, and career to help him in his quest to save the city.

7th, Felicity balances out Oliver. His darkness, damaged, and painful past and quest that surrounds him. She is his innocent, light, and pure soul that can lead him back from the darkness.

Now, as much as I want Olicity to be together, I also believe that Oliver is going to need to be forced to see Felicity's worth either…

A) Felicity should willingly go on a long spectacle for her own good, forcing Oliver to work on his own for a while that way he can realize just how much she does for him – that way he will realize how much she means to him.

B) Felicity should almost die so that he can almost loose her, forcing him to see just how much she means to him.

C) She should be taken from him by someone (Blood, Slade, Laurel, etc.) and then he will be forced to see how much he needs her.

NOTE: Did anyone else notice that when Laurel was kidnapped by the Dollmaker, Oliver did NOT kill him; but he killed the Count for kidnapping Felicity?! Interesting!


	11. Chapter 11 PART ONE

A/N: Takes place directly after 2x13. Just to warn you, it is very dramatic, tragic, and has – what I'd call – a bittersweet ending. It is a bit Olicity oriented, but mostly focuses on Felicity individually. I felt like I needed to be true to Felicity instead of Olicity as a couple (I felt like Felicity deserved more and should get her own happy ending). Also, this focuses a lot on Oliver growing as a person and what should be asked of him. So, this may not be what some of you are hoping for. With that said, I hope you guys don't hate me; I wanted to keep things as logical and realistic as possible. Please, read and review (I love hearing from you guys), but be sure to give constructive criticism (good/negative…I'm good with both). Thank you and I hope you enjoy reading this one-shot as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Also, this particular one-shot was very long so I decided to split it into two parts. Enjoy!

**X: The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning**

**Part One…**

"_**Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end."**_

Felicity sat alone in her small apartment, her body still and cold – like a statue – her face empty and devoid of emotion. Her eyes were fixed on the wall across from her. She was still dressed in the clothes she had worn the day before.

Empty. That was how she felt. As if everything about her personality and character had been sucked out of her body and been replaced with something stony and dark.

Felicity didn't know how she had made it home the night before; she had been working on auto pilot after what she had witnessed down in the Foundry. She had returned to the Lair to check on some computer scans she had left running, when she had felt her heart being ripped from her chest, her voice clogged in her throat, and her breath had stopped. The sight of Oliver kissing Sara so passionately had frozen something inside of her, something that she hadn't realized had kept her going for the last year and a half.

Hope.

She didn't understand how or why it ended up this way.

Why?

Her thoughts turned to when she had first met Oliver, how he had sauntered into her closet sized office asking for her help with a bullet riddled laptop. He had flirted with her from the very beginning. Now, looking back maybe that had been his intention all along, to flirt with her in order to get her to help him though he hadn't needed to. Was that all she was even now? Just someone who he charmed in order to ensure her loyalty, friendship, and obedience? It hurt that such an idea could be true.

Then there were other things that he had said to her that still convinced her of his secret love for her; things that convinced her that his feelings were real and that it wasn't just a figment of her imagination.

"Should you ever need to tell someone about your day, you can tell me."

"Because of the life I lead, I could never be with someone that I could truly care about."

"No, you're not my employee. You're my partner."

"Love is the most powerful emotion."

Oliver had looked her right in the eyes when he'd said each and every one of these things to her. She had seen the emotion in his eyes. The way he had looked at her, so intensely and without reserve. So…why? Why did he sleep with Sara? Felicity knew that she and Oliver were not a couple. They weren't seeing each other. She had no claim and no reason to be heartbroken…but, didn't she? Oliver had made her believe that he wasn't ready to commit to someone that he could really love right now, and that his life was too dangerous for him to allow himself to feel that way for her. But, everything he did, everything he said had led her to believe that someday…one day…they could be...

Did that mean that he would parade random lovers before her until that day would come, while she stayed irrevocably loyal and faithful to him? Was that truly fair of him, to ask her to wait while he screwed around and got his act together? Would he ever be ready?

Then there was the question of his past and the baggage he carried. First she had to deal with his past with Laurel – and even now that was still not completely resolved. After that, and most recently, was his past with Laurel's sister, Sara. Would she always be living in the shadow of the Lance sisters? Would he always be living in the past, forever forsaking his future? The future he could have with her.

Her eyes stuck and stung when she blinked, which made her think that she'd been sitting there on her couch for a while without having done so in a while. She blinked her eyes again before she turned her head to glance around her. Felicity was not aware of how she had made it home or that she had indeed been sitting in the same position all night. She watched as the first rays of sunlight broke across the cloudless sky over Starling City – a new dawn was approaching, and with it a new day.

There truly was nothing more devastating in life then when someone gave up on you. That's what Oliver had so clearly done last night. He had given up on them before they had even begun. The shuttering gasp that was ripped from her throat hurt her ears, which had grown accustomed to the silence. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth as her body began to jerk and twitch with silent dry sobs. She didn't even hear her apartment door open until John Diggle placed his large hand on her shoulders and spun her to face him. John lived in the apartment across from hers with Lyla, and every morning he'd pick her up before getting Oliver, and the three of them would drive to work together.

"Felicity?" John's voice was deep and filled with concern. She must have looked like a horror show if his shocked and worried expression was anything to go my. "What happened? Are you all right?" That was all she needed…she broke and the flood gates were wrenched open.

Digg lead Felicity over to the small window seat near her front window that over looked the entire city and sat her down. His arms wrapped around her protectively. He whispered comforting nonsensical words to her as he rocked her body backward and forward. Felicity was the closest thing he had to a little sister, and right now his big brother duties were demanding he find out what was wrong with her and fix it. It wouldn't be that easy, though. When Felicity was calmed down enough she finally told him…everything.

"I'm going to kill him," said Digg, and Felicity just shook her head against his chest. "I am so sorry."

"I can't…I can't…" Felicity brought her head up from Digg's comforting chest and whipped furiously at the tears that were still falling from her eyes. "I can't do this anymore, Digg. I'm a decent person and deserve better then…whatever this is turning into." She didn't seem to need to elaborate anymore. She could tell by the resigned look in Digg's eyes that he understood what she was saying.

"Go, get what you need. I'll drop you off wherever you need me to." Felicity nodded in thanks before she made her way slowly to her room and pulled out a small suitcase from beneath her bed and went to her closet. She filled it with just her essentials – a few pieces of clothing, her favorite shoes, and a couple of books, her toiletries, and every electronic gadget she owned – before focusing on herself. Digg didn't comment on her choice of clothing; a small black cocktail dress with a pair of dark purple heels. As they made their way out of their apartment building, Digg took in Felicity's person and noted with great sadness that something had died inside of her – the light that always seemed to radiate off of her had gone out.

They sat in the car in silence as Digg drove her to the airport. They had stopped at a bank so Felicity could grab some cash. When they had reached a stop light, the tension in the car was finally noticeable with their stillness and Digg took a small glance at her from the corner of his eye. "Felicity…you will…well, will you ever…" Would she ever come back?

"I don't know, Digg. I need time. A weak? A month? Maybe a year? All I know is that I can't stay here. I can't sit back and watch as my world gets turned around."

John let Felicity out at the curb of the shuttle lane in front of the airport. He took her in his arms and gave her his best bear hug. "Take all the time you need. I sure will."

"Wait. No! Digg, you have to stay with him. He needs you!" Felicity had pulled out of the hug and looked up at Digg desperately.

"I'm starting to wonder if he wants or needs anyone."

"He does, John. He needs you. Promise me, Digg." Felicity begged him with her eyes and didn't release his gaze until he gave her a jerk of his head in answer. "Thank you. Make…make him better, Digg. Don't let him destroy himself."

"Don't worry. I'll knock some sense into him, for both our sakes." Felicity let out a choked laugh. She gave him one last hug before she left him alone on the curb. She didn't look back.

"_**Love when you're ready, not when you're lonely."**_

Oliver sat in the chair that was usually occupied by Felicity. After his sexual encounter with Sara last night in the Lair beneath Verdant, it wasn't until he'd dressed himself and glanced over to Felicity's Spot when it all seemed to hit him like a freight train. What had he done? He'd screwed up…again. So, there he sat, with his arms bent, elbows resting on his knees and his face buried in his hands, dreading facing the consequences of his actions. He barely heard the click of the bathroom door opening as Sara emerged fully dressed once again.

"Um…Ollie. About last night, I think it was…"

"A mistake." Oliver interrupted Sara before she could finish her awkward speech.

"Oh, thank God. I was gonna try to break that to you gently but I wasn't really sure how. Although, I may agree that what we did was not the smartest thing, but you do look more…burdened than usual. What's wrong?" Sara's voice held an air of concern that was typical of a friend and nothing more.

"Felicity." Oliver whispered; his voice cracked with resigned emotion.

"What are you…oh. Oh, I…didn't even think about…"

"Yeah." Oliver's face was still buried in his hands. He couldn't even look at Sara. Shame and guilt washed over his body more than usual.

"She doesn't have to know, Ollie. I'm gonna go live with my mom in Coast City for a while; get some sense of normalcy back into my life. I don't want to hurt her anymore then you do." Sara looked on Oliver with a deep understanding. Felicity was his light, a flickering flame amongst his ocean of darkness; Sara could only hope that one day, she too would find her own light.

"She can't know. She must never know about this." Oliver's voice was strained.

"It's a bit late for that." Digg's sharp voice drew both Sara and Oliver's attention.

"Digg, I…"

"Save your excuses for someone who believes them, Oliver." Digg's vice kept its cold seriousness.

"Um…I'll just let you two…" Sara made her way to the side entrance/exit of the Lair.

"Stay, please. I have few things I would like to say…to both of you." Digg's eyes never left Oliver's. "First off, did you really think you could've kept this a secret? She knows you, Oliver, better than anyone. She knows how you feel, how you think, what to say to comfort you, and what to do to make life easier for you. She knows you. Second…why? Of all the people and places you could've screwed up with it had to be here with Sara. Of all the places and people?! This was our sanctuary. The one place the three of us could call home, and now it's tainted." Oliver flinched at Digg's harsh words. "Felicity…she's the only one who stuck up for you. The one who stayed up till dawn three/four days a week just to make sure you were safe, to talk to you, comfort you. It's her heart that flutters when you text her, you were the one who brought that smile to her face – you know, the one that you can't help but smile back at."

"Digg, please…I know what we did…what I did was wrong, but…"

"No, Oliver. You don't get to excuse yourself from this, Oliver. You know when you left for those five months to exile yourself back on Lian Yau, it was Felicity that made this place home for you, that waited for you to come back, the one who missed you the most. She's the one that constantly fought for you. But, by the time you get your head out of your ass, and realize that she's the girl for you…she'll already be with the guy who figured it out." Digg knew his last words had hit a cord in Oliver given how the other man literally flinched and lurched backwards at the very thought of Felicity with someone else.

Meanwhile, Sara looked on in shame as every word Digg said was true. She didn't love Ollie. They were friends and they had faced a lot of horrors together back on the island, but they were too dark for each other. They each needed a light to draw them out of the darkness. They'd just drown each other in said darkness if they kept things up – stuck in the mistakes of their past. She was drawn out of her musings when Digg turned his condemnation onto her.

"I expected better of you. I would have thought that you'd learned from your mistakes." Digg looked at her with such disappointment that Sara was forced to look away. She respected John Diggle and the fact that she had earned his contempt made her feel even worse. "Felicity welcomed you into our Lair, our lives; she offered her friendship without any judgment or disdain for the things you've done. This is how you repay that kindness."

Digg turned to look at anything other than the two people who had betrayed the kindest soul he'd ever known; the most forgiving person he'd ever known. "She once said you deserved better then something meaningless like this." Oliver's eyes went from ashamed, guilty, hurt, to panic in the next few moments. "She was wrong. She deserves better than either of you. So, no…you don't get to keep this a secret."

"What? No, Digg…please, you can't…" Oliver's voice was desperate as he pleaded with Digg.

"Can't what, Oliver? Tell her the truth? I don't have to. She already knows." Digg's revelation made Oliver and Sara freeze. All thoughts of secrecy vanished and now only guilt remained –guilt and shame.

Oliver jerked forward. He grabbed the keys to his bike and his jacket before practically bolting towards the stairs of the Foundry. Digg caught him before he could leap up the stairs. "Digg, I have to go. I have to explain things to her…to…to do something. I have to fix this!" Oliver tried to yank his arm free of Digg's grip, but his friend was relentless.

"You're too late, Oliver. She's gone." Oliver's body went limp at Digg's words, his head jerking from side to side in denial. "She left an hour ago." Digg looked on as Sara raised her hand to rub at her face, as if she thought it would wipe away all of her mistakes. Oliver gave Digg a pleading look, silently begging him to tell him that it wasn't true, that Felicity hadn't left him.

The clatter of car keys against the hard cement of the floor brought everyone to their senses as they all turned to the side entrance/exit of the Lair. There stood Roy Harper, the newest member of their team, his face filled with shock – as if someone had just told him his favorite song had been written about a sandwich. "Um…sorry. I just came by to…you know. I'm gonna go see what Thea's up to." Roy practically ran out of the Lair and to the safety of his girlfriend. Sara was quick to follow. She'd over stayed her welcome.

Digg turned his attention back to Oliver, releasing the other man's arm before he made his way to the Lair's exit. He turned back to look Oliver in the eye. "The only reason I'm not following Felicity's example, leaving you here and taking Roy with me is because she wanted me to stay here with you. Because that girl still believes in you. She still hopes that one day, you'll be better than this…this thing you're turning yourself into. I'm staying, Oliver, but I'm not doing it for you. Because as of right now…you're not my friend." With that said, Digg made his way slowly and wearily up the Foundry stairs.

"Digg…" Oliver's voice was raspy with unexpressed emotions. "Is she – is she coming back?" The last bit of hope Oliver had for himself shone in his eyes.

"I don't know, Oliver. I doubt even Felicity knows." With those final words, Digg left Oliver alone to bask in his own darkness, with no light to guide him back.

_**Roy Harper**_

Roy had woken up that morning with a new purpose, just like he had every morning since he'd joined Team Arrow, as Felicity put it, a month ago. This was every kid's dream, working every day and being trained with their hero. The role model they looked up to more than anything in the world.

Felicity would make that sarcastic comment about how much of a fan-boy he was when it came to Oliver – the Green Arrow, but he didn't mind. It simply showed how much she cared about him, cared enough to tease him, to teach him some hacking skills, and to always side with him whenever he made the unfortunate decision to side against Oliver in an argument.

Felicity Meghan Smoak was truly a magnificent human being.

So, when Thea asked him later that night what was bothering him so much, he didn't hold back. Felicity had been Oliver's light and he'd messed things up so much that he didn't think there'd ever be an end to this coldness that had enveloped their team. Thea was Roy's light and he'd be damned before he'd drive her away like Oliver had. So he told her – he told her everything, every secret he'd been keeping from her for the last couple of months. He wasn't going to make the same mistake Oliver did.

_**Moira Queen**_

Moira Queen was furious. She had counted on Felicity's emotions for Oliver to keep her from telling him the truth about her relationship with Malcom Merlyn; the affair that had resulted in Thea's birth. But, instead those feelings had led her to be painfully honest about the truth, and now because of Felicity Smoak, Moira had lost her son's trust, faith, love, and respect.

So, she made a call to an old friend. She'd warned Felicity that she'd regret it if she told Oliver Moira's secret. Now, she'd find out just how much.

The phone rang and she waited until she could hear the distinct click of the phone being answered on the other end.

"Hello?"

"I'd like to speak to Rhas Al Ghul, please."

_**The Fall of the League**_

A month had passed since Felicity left the team – if it could even be called a team anymore. None of them seemed to realize just how much Felicity meant, not just individually, but as a whole as well. The air in the Lair was tense and distant, the lack of emotions and warmth noticeable. No one smiled. No one cracked a joke. They didn't eat fast food together late at night anymore and they didn't share anything personal about their lives outside of vigilantism.

Felicity had not just been their tech support. She'd been the heart and soul of their team. She patched them up, cared for them, and soothed their egos when they would return from a patrol injured and hurting. She made their moods lighter and gave them purpose to keep doing things the right way.

Their team…

They weren't a team anymore. They were nothing more than colleagues working towards the same goal.

When one night the three men made their way into the Lair only to find a very distressed Sara, things were beyond awkward. Oliver did not jump forward to comfort her, that was a blessing at least, but he did look at her in friendly concern. "Sara, what are you doing here? Has something happened? Your family…"

"No. No, it's nothing like that it's just…the League." Sara paced the space of the Lair, her arms crossed over her chest, and a deep frown crinkled her brow.

"Is the League back for you or something?" Digg's question held no sympathy just curiosity.

"No. The League of Assassins has been destroyed."

"What?"

"How?"

"When?"

"I don't know, really. When I left here after…" Sara turned away from them as they all wore dark looks at the reminder of why Felicity was gone in the first place. "I had decided to go and make things right with Nyssa. When I arrived at the League's headquarters in the mountains of northern china, everything had been destroyed. Everyone was…I found Nyssa…she was dead. But, that's not the reason I came here. The thing is no one other than members of the League knew where our location was. Whoever destroyed and killed off the entire League, was someone who…it had to have been a member of the League."

Oliver, Diggle, and Roy looked on in shock. The mere fact that one lone person could have destroyed a group as deadly and as powerful as the League of Assassins was very worrisome.

"How long ago was this?" Digg asked, but Sara did not mistake his concern for her on a personal level. It was clear that all of their concerns – and rightly so – were focused on the possible threat that one person could take out so many trained fighters that were a part of the League.

"It had to have been almost right after Nyssa left Starling. From the state of all of their bodies, or what was left of them, I'd guess about three weeks, maybe four." Sara's voice was distant as she remembered stumbling through the ruins of the monastery that the League called headquarters. Her emotions had been fairly mixed on the whole situation. She had not made any lasting friends in the League other than Nyssa, and that had been more love than friendship. She had feared and respected Rhas Al Ghul, but that was as far as her attachments went.

The loss of Nyssa had been a blessing and heartache all rolled into one. Her heart ached at the destruction of her lover. Nyssa had been her lifeline and her only link to human emotion while she had been welcomed into the League two years earlier and because of her she'd had a small link to civilization – the one thing that had been separate from all the death and killing that had come with joining up with them. Her head was more realistic and knew that she had a hand in her relationship with Nyssa falling so out of control. What she had done to Nyssa – her one and only true and honest love – was unthinkable. She had snuck off in the middle of the night and run back to Starling, desperate to reunite with her family after leading them all to believe that she'd been dead for the last six and a half years. Nyssa had come for her after giving her four months of peace, than she'd come to bring her home. At the time, Sara had not wanted to admit it – she'd forced herself to believe that her family and Starling City was her home – but the League and Nyssa had been her true family. She'd felt welcomed and loved, and while she knew her family loved her, she still feared them ever finding out all the things she'd done in the past few years. So, she had returned to the League a few days after her indiscretions with Oliver and had sought out Nyssa specifically in the hopes that they could both have the goodbye and forgiveness they both so desperately needed.

It had been too late.

When Sara had found the destruction of the Monastery, she had counted everybody in the hopes of finding just one alive. She knew all the members by heart. With each scorched body and unrecognizable face, it became more and more clear that they were all dead…including Nyssa. Her body had been thrown into a wall and towards a large opening that allowed the cold frozen air, snow, and ice to freeze her forever into perfection. Sara had held her to her chest as she cried tears of…acceptance. Nyssa had been a hope for her throughout all her time separated from her family. Now, that hope was gone.

The realization that before Nyssa's death Sara had spent the night with Oliver had been her breaking point. The guilt and shame flooding her heart and soul. While Nyssa had been dying in the cold, she had been with Oliver – that hurt her more than the actual loss of her lover.

So, now here she stood in front of Oliver (he still couldn't seem to meet her eyes and she understood that, she could barely look at him without thinking of their betrayal to both Nyssa and Felicity), Digg (his gaze hard and distant, uninterested in anything about her personally), and Roy (who seemed to have lost the awe of respect that he had for both her and Oliver; his heroes had fallen from grace).

"I just thought you all should know. I mean, if my theory is correct that it was a member…or if it was just one person who destroyed the League, then that gives us all a very good reason to be very worried. Perhaps this…person is one of the good guys, but if they're not then…" She watched as realization reached all their faces.

"Thank you for letting us know," said Oliver, his voice friendly but still distant.

"It's the least I can do." Sara took a look around and noticed how clean and reorganized everything was. As Roy and Digg moved towards the practice mats to start training. Speaking of the practice mats, they were new. As were a lot of things about the Lair, everything except for Felicity's corner of computers and other advanced technology. She had a feeling that Oliver, Digg, and Roy had done all they could to change the Lair in the hopes of erasing the events of that night a month ago. She couldn't blame them. After Nyssa's death, she'd wanted to forget about that night as well. As she continued to reflect on that night and Felicity, she took another look around and noticed Felicity's absence. "Felicity…she's still not back?" Oliver flinched at the mention of her name and nodded his head in resignation. "Find her Oliver. I went back to fix things with Nyssa. To end things the right way, but I never got that chance to do the right thing by her. You still have a chance. Find Felicity and make things right. You may not get the chance to if you continue to wait."

"I will. I have to. I can't…I can't do this without her. I can't _be_ without her. Everything I am calls out to her. I did everything I could to push her away so that I wouldn't hurt her. Only it turns out that in doing so I hurt her anyway. I have to make it right." Oliver's voice was strong and solid with his words, meaning every single one of them.

Sara gave him one last fleeting smile before sending a respectful nod to both Roy and Digg as she made her way out of the Lair and back to her mother's home in Coast City.

"_**I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me forever and changed my ideas: they've gone through and through me like wine through water, and altered the color of my mind." – Wuthering Heights.**_

Felicity sat by herself outside a small café in a Podunk town somewhere just outside of New Orleans. It was her favorite vacation spot and she had come here to think, to heal, and to start over. However, things had not worked out so well. For the last few weeks she had the strange feeling that she was being followed. At first she hadn't been sure whether said person was friend or foe, at least not until she had narrowly escaped her possible murder two nights ago. It had only been by luck and chance. The few basic skills in self-defense that Digg had taught had helped, but it had only been by sheer chance that she had been able to trip her dressed-in-black-and-masked-attacker and spray his eyes with mace and get away. She'd spent the rest of the night erasing any trace of her there was in the world.

The attempt on her life – as mysterious as it was – made her realize that there were certain things in her life that she needed to put behind her. Some temporarily and some permanently. So, there she sat with a small stack of stationary she'd picked up from one of the many shops lining the streets of the old town she was staying in. She wrote and wrote until everything she had felt about so many things had been documented on the paper before her. She did not use a traditional envelope, for she was not going to mail it, but deliver it personally.

That is how she found herself hacking into the security footage of Verdant and the Lair to ensure that no one was there. It was 4:30AM a day later when she had returned to Starling City and made her way through the empty Lair. She felt a shiver of despair as she walked through what had once been so familiar, and while she could see the changes in it, the Lair was no longer a place of peace and sanctuary for her.

Felicity placed the small letter on top of the metal counter that held Oliver's bow and placed it right in front of it. It seemed like an ideal place to put it, somewhere that Oliver would notice. She gave one last fleetingly look around her before she made her escape. She didn't know where she would go from here, all she did know was that she still needed time away, time to think and time to heal.

When Oliver made his way into the Lair beneath Verdant the last thing he expected to see was a small letter in a bright red envelope lying in front of his bow with his name written on it, in writing that he recognized all too well – Felicity's hand writing.

That was how Roy and Digg found him ten minutes later, standing in front of his bow in a state of speechless shock. Once Roy and Digg got a good look at the writing on the envelope they had a good feeling who it was from. It was Digg who broke the silence as he picked the envelope up and handed it to Oliver.

"You'll never know what she has to say to you until you open it and read it." Digg ushered Roy back up the steps and into Verdant for a drink while Oliver had some time to put himself together and face the consequences of his actions.

Oliver's hands shook – honest to God shook, something that rarely happened now a day, he was usually in such good control over his emotions – as he sat in Felicity's chair and opened her letter. He dreaded and longed to read what she wanted him to know.

**Dearest Oliver,**

**These last few weeks have been hard for me, and I suspect for our team as well. That was not my intention. The night that I caught you and Sara…well, it was one of great reflection. I thought about all the reasons I should stay and all the reasons I needed to leave. Ironically enough, they both had an equal number involving you. **

**First and foremost, I'd like to share some things about my past with you. Something we both have never been to open about with each other. Over the last year and a half you have let slip a few pieces of information here and there that has allowed me to draw my own conclusions about your time during the five years you were stuck on that island of Purgatory. I wish that you had trusted me and had felt comfortable enough with me to share more of your experiences, good or bad. But, alas that was something you struggled with and I truly understand that you may never feel comfortable about sharing those dreadful years with anyone. I hope you do – I think it would be good for you to share that burden with someone…anyone.**

**While I know that my own tragic past could never measure up in comparison to yours, I'd like to at least extend my trust – just for this small moment – and share with you what made me who I am.**

**As I told you that day before I left, I barely knew my father. I was very young when he left – only five years old – and had not understood that when I saw him that fateful day that it would be the last. My mother was not a particularly strong woman and she took my father's abandonment very hard. So hard that five years later I would come home to her lying lifeless in the bathtub surrounded by red water; a small razor protruding from each of her wrists.**

Oliver paused as he read the last line of that paragraph again and again. The idea…the mere thought that someone as innocent as Felicity witnessed her own mother's suicide was…gut wrenching for him. He had always assumed that her innocence was a part of her due to her lack of experience with the darker side of life, but this new revelation was making him see and respect Felicity in more ways then one.

**I would spend the next two years being thrown about from foster home to foster home until I was adopted into a wonderful family – Jewish, like my own – in Gotham City. My new father, Jim Gordon, was a kind man and he treated me with the greatest love and care that a scared and scarred child could hope for. His wife was everything my mother had not been. Strong and beautiful. She and Jim had been trying for years to have children of their own but were unable to do so, so they adopted. I was not the only one. Years later they would adopt a young boy and eventually another little girl. James (or Jim Jr. as I call him) and Maddie. Both sweet children that like me have a troubled past but were able to move past it with the healing power of a loving family. We gave each other strength where before there had been nothing but Darkness.**

**Witnessing one's own parent commit suicide is not something you forget, and to this day I am still haunted with terrors that I wake screaming in a cold sweat at night. Yet, as much as the Darkness has reached out to me for the last twelve years, I have never let it take hold of me. I live by my adoptive mother's philosophy that just because something has Darkness in it, does not mean that their pure heart has been taken from them or their innocence. I believe that, Oliver.**

**You have a Darkness inside of you that you feel that you must fight against. Stop fighting. Give into that Darkness. Except it. Once you have done that, only then can you learn to control it and use it to your advantage.**

**For the last few months you have made it very clear that something has changed between us. There is a deeper connection. Something that binds us together. I have a feeling that all those times you've pushed me away; you have been trying to protect me from the Darkness that plagues your soul. You never needed to protect me from it. I too have Darkness in me but I have learned to manage it. But you, you fight against it, are ashamed of it, and try so hard to get rid of it by trying to save an entire city in the hopes that it will purify you.**

**Oliver, you can't destroy your Darkness. It is a part of you. So, let it go. Use it to your advantage, but never deny it. Otherwise, it will use you. Everyone has Darkness and light in them, Oliver. What matters is the side that you choose to act on.**

**In spite of my new family, I still felt very alone in the world. People who knew of my past either pitied me or thought low of me, as if I was going to make the same mistakes my parents did. Those who didn't know of my past took my silence as arrogance or stupidity. I was alone in this world until I had met you.**

**I was intelligent and a hard worker. My Darkness drove my ambition to succeed and allowed me to find the energy to graduate from high school at 16 before moving off to MIT on a scholarship. Yet, I never really fit in anywhere. You did that Oliver; you took me in and gave me a purpose. Over time, I imagined us fighting the big fight together, alongside each other. Now I'm not so sure where I belong.**

**What was the point of it all, Oliver?**

**Was any of it real?**

**Was I your friend…partner…love?**

**Or…**

**Was I nothing more than another means to an end?**

**Was I just something convenient?**

**Nothing more than an IT genius that you wanted to wield like any other weapon in order to help along your own crusade against the City?**

Oliver flinched as he read those last few lines. The harsh truth was that he had used her…at the beginning. He knew from the start that she cared for him, had a crush on him and he used her feelings against her to ensure her loyalty. It wasn't until later, over time, that he felt himself falling for her in return and just as he realized just how deep her feelings went for him – that she was in love with him – he fell in love with her.

**Before I would have said that I was someone you could picture spending the rest of your life with. You certainly gave me a good enough reason to believe that. The things you'd say to me, the things you'd do for me and only me. Yet, you would use my trust, friendship, and loyalty and turn to someone else for comfort.**

**When I discovered the truth about Thea's parentage, I knew immediately what I had to do. I confronted your mother and gave her the chance to tell you herself. Perhaps if she had listened to me, things would have worked out better between the two of you. However, instead she threatened me and used my own feelings for you against me. She told me that if I revealed to you the truth, that you would– of course hate her – but, you would also hate me and associate the harsh truth with me. That I would lose you. I took that chance; that leap of faith. Much like I did when I decided to stay as a member of your little team after we had rescued Walter. I decided to tell you the truth anyway, knowing very well that she could be right.**

**It seems she was right after all.**

Oliver seemed to freeze as he read the line about his mother threatening her. Anger and hate bubbled in his blood, but then sadness took hold of him as he realized that in essence he had lead Felicity to believe that his mother's threat was true. That he was trying to punish her and a new kind of guilt took hold of him. not only had he hurt and betrayed her with his actions – betrayed both their love – but he had also given her reason to doubt his sincerity in the words he had told her as she struggled to tell him his mother's secret. That she would never lose him.

**Was that why you slept with Sara? Was that my punishment for telling you the truth? Do you hate me, now knowing the truth about Thea's birth? Or perhaps it was something else, something similar to what happened between you and Isabel in Russia. Was it simply for comfort after having learned such a horrible truth about your family? I hope it's not true, that you do not hate me.**

**All I can hope for no is that you can grow from your mistakes and become the man I always saw you as. The hero.**

**Now, while this letter has been very cathartic for me, I still am unsure of what to do. Things have been irreparably damaged between us…at least for now. I do not wish to lead you on or give you any kind of false hope. So, I will tell you out right that I am unsure as to whether I will ever come back.**

**I need time.**

**A few more weeks…months…**

**Maybe longer.**

**All I know is that I need to rediscover who I am, because you have changed me Oliver and I am not sure what to do with myself anymore.**

**One more thing. Tell Thea the truth. She deserves to know. I am giving you the same chance that I gave your mother. Tell her the truth yourself, because a secret like this does not stay buried for long and she will find out eventually. If she learns that you knew the truth and did not tell her, she may never forgive you. You've already lost so much, do not let your pride and overprotective nature drag you down into a lie that you know you cannot keep covered up. It will simply destroy you. Tell her and offer her the support she will surely need. Make things right.**

**Yours,**

**Felicity**

**P.S. – I know that there is a lot standing between us right now. Issues that still have to be resolved. Questions to be answered. But, I feel that I should tell you – for I fear that I may never get the chance to tell you – that…I have loved you for a very long time, Oliver Queen. I hope that you are able to work things out and perhaps one day things will be right between us once more.**

Oliver read the three page letter again and again until his eyes grew blurry. He wasn't sure what to think. The things that Felicity had revealed to him were shocking to say the least. While her own darkness could nowhere near measure up to what haunted him, it was something that he could not fathom someone so bright and colorful facing…and all alone, too. She had faced darkness and yet still had remained so bright and hopeful for the world around her. For that, Oliver was in awe over her sheer will and power to see the good around her. When he had first met her he believed that innocence would be a great weakness on her part, but now he realized that it was her strength. It was what drove her to be as intelligent and as moving as she was. It made him love her all the more.

At that thought, Oliver's head snapped up in shock. It shouldn't be so shocking. He knew what his feelings for her but he had spent so long trying to bury them and ignore them that it was what had hurt her most. Now, he was forced to acknowledge them and it enraptured him. His body burst into motion as he texted Digg that he and Roy could return to the Lair. He was going to need their help with what he had planned.

When Roy and Digg stumbled down the stairs in a hurry, desperate to see what had commenced between Oliver and Felicity's letter, they had not expected to see a near frantic Oliver typing furiously on the many computers.

"Oliver…" Digg's voice held the many questions they were all wondering.

"The letter's next to my bow." Oliver was clearly giving Digg permission to read it. Once  
>Digg had, he turned to Oliver.<p>

"What does this mean for you?"

"I'm going to find her. I know she wants time and I'll gladly give it to her, but I still want to find her. I will make this right. Roy, whatever Felicity taught you I need you to put it to good use and get every system running to find her." Oliver's voice held the authority it usually did when giving orders.

"Um…ok, but I am going to have to leave soon. It's mine and Thea's first anniversary and I was going to spend the evening with her."

Oliver turned to give Roy a calculating look before it turned contemplative. "Right…ok. In that case, could you…could you bring her here? After your…date…could you bring Thea here?"

"You're seriously going to tell Thea the truth…about everything?" Digg's voice held the shock that was clearly shown on Roy's face.

"It's what Felicity wanted me to do." That was answer enough for all of them.

Roy nodded his head before he moved towards the row of computers. He worked what little magic that Felicity had been able to teach him before her departure and set the system to scan for her location before taking off to meet Thea for diner.

Three hours later Thea followed Roy down into the Lair, a look of pure fascination and surprise written all over her face.

"Oh, My God! Everything about you makes so much sense now!" Thea's voice rang out clearly through the walls of the Lair.

"Why does everyone say that?" Oliver bristled.

"Cause it's the truth." were Digg and Roy's chorused reply.

The rest of the night was very emotional as Oliver revealed everything he could handle telling Thea. They were both very emotional by the end of the experience, but it had somehow brought them closer together. Thea's only real response was that she wanted to meet Felicity officially, so she could thank her for bringing her brother back from the edge of darkness that he had so clearly been standing on for the last few years. Oliver could only hope that he'd get the chance.

_**The tragedy of Life is not Death but what we let die inside of us while we live." – Norman Cousins**_

Six months. That was how long she had been absent from his life, his world, and Oliver hated it. But, it was not to be. All the searching and all the planning of how he'd win back her trust, secure her heart…it wasn't going to happen.

Digg received the mystery call on a typical Friday morning just after he had dropped Oliver off to spend some quality time with Thea and Roy down in the Lair. Thea had inserted herself onto the team in a way that Felicity had once done. Sure, she couldn't fight or hack, but her sarcastic remarks and jokes seemed to bring light into the dark abyss of the Lair once more. It made Oliver wish for Felicity even more.

So, Digg sat at his kitchen table, reading the newspaper. Lyla had just gone out to run some errands when his cell phone began to vibrate on the table in front of him. Felicity had installed a small app onto each other their phones so that not only would the numbers in their contact lists have caller id, but so did any number coming in unless it was blocked. That was why he was so surprised by who was calling him when he got a glance at the caller id that was lit up on his screen.

Digg did not quite understand the reason why he'd be receiving a call from someone called GGH. He answered his phone none the less and what he heard made his blood freeze.

"Hello?"

"Is this Mr. John Diggle?" The voice was emotionless and reminded him of a computer automated message, but he could tell it was an actual person do to the steady breathing that came from the other end of the phone.

"Yes, may I ask who is calling?"

"This is Dr. Fell from Gotham General Hospital. Do you know a Felicity Meghan Smoak."

"Yes," Digg said as his entire body went on high alert. Felicity…hospital. This wasn't going to be good.

"It is my understanding that you were listed as Ms. Smoak's contact. The reason I am calling is to inform you, that I am very sorry, but Ms. Smoak has passed on."

Digg could not believe what he was hearing. He blinked his eyes in a sad attempt to block the oncoming tears that plagued them. "Are…are you certain." He cleared his throat in the hopes of blocking the emotions that threatened to burst through.

"Yes, sir. We are very sorry for your loss. I have informed Ms. Smoak's remaining family and they wanted me to inform you that her funeral would be in three days in Gotham City." There was silence on both ends before the doctor clearly did not know what else to say. "Well, I am truly sorry for your loss, sir. Good day."

"Wait! Wait, please…how…how did she die?" Digg could barely get the words out without choking.

"A car accident. A drunk driver hit her and…well, it was very hard to make any identification. We had to use DNA and Dental records to be sure it was Ms. Smoak. Her remaining family was unable to make any identification due to that severe damage done to her…"

Digg didn't wait to listen to the rest. The doctor's monotone voice grating on his nerves.

She was gone.

Truly…gone…

What was he going to tell Oliver? That thought had him practically crumbling as he thought of Oliver and what his reaction would be. He'd been in a rough place since that night all those months ago. Desperate to find Felicity and make things right with her. Now, he'd never get the chance.

It was a good three hours later when Lyla finally drove him to the Lair to tell Oliver the news. Digg didn't trust himself to drive in that moment. Lyla had at least been a comfort and support that he'd been able to lean on.

Digg's steps were slow and heavy as he made his way down into the Lair. He stopped as he saw Oliver laughing at something Thea had said, and considering the annoyed look on Roy's face, he'd been the one that her teasing remark had been meant for. Seeing Oliver act so carefree for the first time in months made Digg pause in his movements, knowing that that smile would never again be on Oliver's face when he gave him the news. It didn't matter though, because Oliver chose that precise moment to look over at him. The concern and sadness must have been too clear on his face, because the moment Oliver spotted him, his smile vanished as a worried frown took its place.

Digg wasn't sure just how he'd told Oliver, only that the end result was much worse than he had feared. First came the rage and anger as Oliver destroyed everything in sight and Thea, Roy, and Digg were forced to watch in painful understanding as he smashed everything in sight. But, when Oliver raised his bow and fist to the computers that Felicity loved so much, the anger vanished and in its place was cold grief as he collapsed to the ground in complete and utter defeat.

The next three days were a blur and Digg could hardly remember anything about them. They'd made their way to Gotham City and found the funeral sight. It had been one of the most painful experiences any of them had ever faced. It was natural for Oliver and Digg to attend the funeral since they had been the closest to Felicity. Roy went out of respect. He hadn't known felicity very long, but he'd come to immediately respect her from the moment they had met. Thea went as support to each of them. She had only met Felicity once, when she'd kindly come by the hospital when Walter had returned home, and after that only briefly when she'd seen her working with Oliver and at Queen Consolidated formal gatherings/functions. She went to the funeral anyway.

It was a quiet affair with only a small handful of people attending. However, it was a bit on the strange side. For instance the few people that did attend her funeral were rather important to say the least. So, to say that Oliver and Digg were a bit shocked to see Bruce Wayne and his company's acting CEO, Lucius Fox at Felicity's funeral was an understatement. On top of that, Bruce Wayne personal butler, Alfred Pennyworth was there as well. Then of course there was Felicity's adoptive father, Jim Gordon; a young detective by the name of John Blake. It was a mystery. But one that none of them felt like solving at that particular moment.

It was the location of the funeral that was the biggest mystery of all; Wayne Manor, at least what had been newly built so far. Wayne Manor had been burnt to the ground by its owner two months prior to their arrival during his thirtieth birthday party.

From what Digg had read about Bruce Wayne he was an even worse playboy the Oliver. The mere fact that he had obviously known Felicity was…worrisome.

So, there they all stood as the Jewish Rabi proceeded over the funeral service. For the first time in six months Digg showed Oliver a mere gesture of friendship that had been missing since Felicity had walked out of their lives, he placed his hand on Oliver shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. They were all frozen as time stilled and everything that had once been pure and honest in the world was gone, fleeing the world as Felicity's coffin was lowered into the ground.

The people who were present seemed to immediately gravitate to Commissioner Jim Gordon and his wife, giving their condolences. It wasn't until they were walking away from the gravesite when Digg and Oliver seemed to glimpse at the same time a lone figure walking along the edge of the Wayne property. That walk…that stance…it was so familiar. When they caught a glimpse of dark hair, their shoulders dropped in resignation. It was not who they had hoped it would be. She was gone, now…forever. But, neither of them could shake the feeling that that lone prone figure was no stranger to them.

Their musing was interrupted by the voice of Bruce Wayne.

"Well, Oliver Queen. Fancy seeing you here. I must say I'm surprised. I would have thought you'd be too busy to show your face." Bruce's voice was hard and held and edge that could rival that of Oliver's Arrow voice. The only disturbing thing was that Wayne was doing it without a voice modifier.

"Felicity was a very close friend, to all of us." Diggle's voice held a note of finality, but Mr. Wayne persisted.

"Really? Well, at least Mr. Queen here didn't bring his date along for the ride. Who is it you're dating now? Laurel Lance? Or have you switched back to her sister, Sara? Must be so tiresome juggling a love life between two sisters."

Oliver flinched visibly as Thea choked on her resounding gasp. She looked towards her brother in shock. She had a feeling that something had happened for Felicity to run away from her brother and she had figured that it had something to do with her brother pretty much chasing her off, but she hadn't thought it had been because of those blasted Lance sisters.

"Felicity told me everything about you. And what you did."

"Is there something of value you needed to say or did you…" Digg was interrupted when Mr. Wayne turned his hard gaze to him.

"Yes. Felicity wanted me to give this to you should anything…suspicious happen to her." Mr. Wayne handed Oliver a thick manila envelope. "And given how she died, I figured this was the perfect time."

"How she died? I thought it was a car accident?" Digg's voice held suspicion and worry.

"An accident. Is that what they call it when someone takes out a hit on another human being?" Mr. Wayne's voice held disbelief as he continued to stare down Oliver. "No. Felicity Smoak was murdered." With those final shocking words Mr. Wayne sauntered off towards the lone figure that was still wandering around the edge of the Wayne property and escorted whoever it was to a nice looking charcoal colored Lamborghini and drive off.

Oliver was shell shocked that Felicity had been murdered. His entire posture was stiff and filled with rage. Rage at the one who had killed her and rage at himself for not being there to protect her – to save her.

It wasn't until they were sitting in silence on the Queen Consolidated company jet on their way home to Starling City that Oliver finally opened the folder that Bruce Wayne had shoved into his hands. With just a quick glance at it Oliver went from simple rage to furious in a matter of seconds as the folder dropped from his shaking hands. The look in his eyes turned murderous.

"Oliver? What's wrong?" Thea's worried voice rang through the open space of the Queen's private jet.

"Moira." Said Oliver, his voice rasped with barely controlled anger.

Digg whipped the file off the floor and read it for himself and was quickly able to see why Oliver was so livid. Moira Queen was the one who ordered the hit on Felicity's life. Moira Queen was the one who had made the final and ultimate betrayal to both her children. Moira Queen was the reason Felicity was…dead.

It took Oliver a little less than three months to bring down Moira Queen…as the Arrow of course. He exposed her for what she truly was. A monster! However, Moira had escaped conviction. She had run far away to some unknown location and now lived out the rest of the days alone and unloved by anyone, including her family.

Gone was the carefree, playboy, billionaire Oliver he once was. Perhaps that side of him had died long ago, on the day that Felicity had first been brought into his life…his world. And now she was gone, and she took everything good in their world with her. Now there was only Oliver Queen – the Green Arrow.

It was another three months before Sara returned once more. Digg had never quite forgiven her for the part she played in Felicity's now permanent absence. Sure, Oliver was equally to blame for Felicity's departure from Team Arrow and in essence Starling City, but fifty percent of that blame lay on the shoulders of one Sara Lance. So, there John Diggle sat one night in the Lair working on the comm link while Roy and Oliver went out on their annual patrol. Thea was working upstairs in the club that night, so it was just him. He had just disconnected the comm's – Oliver and Roy were just finishing up and on their way back – when he heard a slight shift behind him. Digg grabbed for his gun and spun around to aim at who ever had the misfortune of finding their way into the Arrow's Lair.

Sara stood still with her hands up and arms out in a posture of surrender. A small smile playing at her lips. It had been a whole year since Felicity had left because of her and Oliver's indiscretions.

"Whoa! Easy there buddy. I'm just here as a friendly favor." Sara said.

Digg placed his gun back on the table of computers that once belonged to Felicity. "What do you want, Lance."

"Ok, I guess there's still no love lost between us. How's Oliver doing? And the rest of your…little…team?" Sara's voice held a sigh of resignation. She knew she wasn't welcome in their lives anymore. Just then Thea Queen walked down the stairs and into the Lair. To say Sara was shocked to see that Thea was no longer in the dark about Oliver and Roy's nightly activities was a bit of an understatement.

"Digg, are they back yet? I brought some food for them if…" Thea trailed off as she came into the view of Sara Lance. "What are you doing here?" Thea's voice carried and edge of harshness and was very accusatory. Sara flinched. By the judgmental looks that Thea was sending her way, she had a feeling that the younger Queen knew about Felicity and why she had left.

"Well, since I'm not on the greatest terms with anyone around here, I guess I'll just say what I have to and go. Although, I was hoping to say what I had to say with Oliver present."

"Why? So you can sink your claws into him again?" Thea said with no remorse.

Sara ignored the comment and decided that Digg was going to simply pass what she had to say along to Oliver. She understood why. "I was just stopping by to tell you guys that if you're still looking for Felicity you guys can stop. I found her. Or rather I ran into her…"

"You bitch!" Thea's gasp drew Sara's attention immediately.

"Um… excuse me?" Sara new they disliked her, but was the name calling really necessary?!

"You have more shame then I gave you credit for Lance," said Digg as he made sure that the comm link was securely off so that Oliver wouldn't have to witness this cruel farce, before ripping his own comm from his ear and standing to face Sara Lance head on.

Sara hadn't felt this much judgment and hate since the night that Laurel learned of her return from…well, death; and while she and Laurel had come to terms with each other and could now be somewhat friendly, Sara was still a bit shocked by the cold and furious reception she was receiving. After all, she had just given them all some really good news. "Ok, listen. I get that you guys don't like me but I figured you'd at least be happy about this! What's going on?"

"If this is a joke, then you are more sick in the head then I could ever imagine!" Digg's words were slightly over come by Thea's furious voice.

"Get out!"

"What the hell is wrong with you all? I thought that…"

"Felicity is dead, Lance. We buried her. Six months ago." Digg's words did not have the desired effect on Sara that they had hoped. She did not move in her spot where she stood, now rock still.

"What? No that's not possible because I can promise you I just saw her! Two days ago in Florence, Italy." Sara's voice was strong and sure. While Thea ranted behind her, she could see the uncertainty in Digg's eyes as he continued to look her in the eye. Their gazes never wavered. Digg could tell she wasn't lying. So, either she was telling the truth about Felicity – which seemed very unlikely – or she was simply mistaken and had thought she'd seen her.

"Are you certain?" Digg's question seemed to give both Sara and Thea pause.

"I stood not ten feet away from her. She looked a bit different. She'd change her hair color and she wasn't wearing her glasses, but it _was_ her. I'm certain of it!"

"Do you have…proof? A picture or something?" Digg's words seemed to give pause anything Thea would have said at that moment.

"I don't have anything like a picture to show you, but…I spoke with her John."

_**Two Days Earlier…**_

Sara was visiting Florence, Italy with her mother, Dinah Laurel Lance – a professor of Law at the local University in Coast City – when she spotted the two handsome figures sitting a few tables from them. They had been standing in a short line at a small café near a beautiful cathedral and when the hostess came over to seat them Sara walked right passed someone whom she had not had the pleasure of seeing for quite some time. So, there she sat, her mother chatting away about something or other, gazing at the radiant Ms. Felicity Smoak. The woman that sat before her but ten feet away had changed.

Dark auburn hair – the color of red wine – flowed down from the top of her head and towards her waist. Creamy skin peaked out through a beautiful blue sundress. Adorable brown sandals covered her dainty feet. Her posture was relaxed as she talked with a handsome man, laughing every few minutes. Bright dark blue eyes sparkled in happiness and joy.

Sara had only ever seen Felicity like that once. When she had first returned to Starling City. She had caught Oliver and Digg speaking with Felicity alone at one point – all of them looking so happy. Sara knew that she had ruined that for Felicity, she and Oliver, but now seeing Felicity just as happy – if not more so – with some unknown man. It shocked Sara, and not for the first time she was struck with a sense of jealousy. Felicity had found happiness – there was no one more deserving of happiness then the elusive Ms. Smoak – but Sara could not help wonder if she would ever find something even close to what Felicity was having in that single moment.

The younger Lance glance from Felicity to the man she was with and was stunned by the very obvious good looking male. He seemed a bit older then Felicity, but just as carefree. Sara continued to stare at the obvious couple until the man glanced up and met her gaze with a hard one of his own before he spoke lowly to Felicity. Sara wasn't sure why she didn't bolt then, but when Felicity turned to glance her way she was struck with a new sense of guilt and shame at having been the reason that Felicity had left the only home the poor girl had ever truly known.

Sara watched as the happy joyful look on Felicity's face was replaced by a small frown before Ms. Smoak turned to her dinning partner and spoke a few words to him. His face turned dark as anger rolled in the depth of his dark eyes when he glanced back at Sara before he turned back t Felicity and nodded in what seemed to be understanding.

Felicity rose from her chair and gave the man a light but passionate kiss on the lips before she sauntered off towards the ancient cathedral across the street. Sara was briefly aware that she gave her mother some lame excuse about needing to use the restroom before she too got up and practically jogged after Felicity Smoak.

They were the only ones in the church. It was a beautiful place with stucco paintings and religious statues, but none of that mattered as Sara made her way towards the uplifted alter where Felicity was standing. Sara stopped a few feet behind her with bated breath, afraid of what this confrontation would bring her. More guilt and shame? She was so tired of feeling as if she had let down everyone that was or could've been close to her, especially someone as kind and understanding as Felicity.

"Hello, Sara." Said Felicity, her back still towards the other woman.

"Felicity, I…" Sara was at a loss. For the last year she had longed to apologize and now that she could it was as if those two words 'I'm sorry' were not enough. But…she had to say them. "I'm sorry.

Felicity turned then, her back straight, but not rigid, her stance sure but not harsh, and her face serious but with no sign of judgment. She was just…there. "For what?"

"For what I…for what we did…to you of all people."

"It was wrong no matter who it was done to, Sara. To me or to Laurel, it makes no difference, but it was done, and you are sorry…and that…that is enough for me."

"But, I thought…"

"That I would be angry, and I was but I found something that took away that anger." Felicity's voice was full of understanding as she looked upon the broken woman before her.

"I know…I know I don't have the right to ask but, could you ever…" _Forgive me?_

"I have forgiven you, Sara. Your conscience is clean." Felicity's words seemed to lift and invisible weight off of Sara's shoulders. Felicity gave her a kind but tired smile before she moved forward and passed her, a small brush of her hand against Sara's shoulder in silent resolution before leaving.

However, Sara gave her pause when her next question left her lips. "Wait, umm. Felicity? That man you were with, who is he?"

Felicity gave a truly genuine smile then. "Bruce Wayne of course."

**A/N: Part Two…Coming Soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Previously…**

_However, Sara gave her pause when her next question left her lips. "Wait, umm. Felicity? That man you were with, who is he?"_

_Felicity gave a truly genuine smile then. "Bruce Wayne of course."_

**XI: The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning**

**Part Two…**

Sara's mouth dropped open as she watched Felicity walk gracefully to the back of the church where Mr. Wayne stood waiting with a big goofy grin on his face, however said grin slipped right of his face when he gave Sara a last glance. She received his glare with a frown as she watched Felicity give him a gentle kiss on his jaw before they both left.

_**Present Time: Arrow Lair…**_

"Wait, Bruce Wayne?!" Thea and Digg echoed each other in shock at what Sara had just finished telling them.

"Yeah, I know. That was my reaction, too."

"He knew…" Digg's whispered words made Thea and Sara turn to him as he recalled their trip to Gotham for Felicity's funeral. That lone figure that had been walking along the edges of the Wayne property…it had been her. "She faked her death."

"But, why?" Thea asked.

"Your mother…she put a hit out on her. Felicity is a smart person and knows more about our world then Moira ever could. It makes sense that she would fake her death if she was in mortal peril."

"But why would she keep it from you guys? I mean from what you, Oliver, and Roy told me about her she meant a lot to you guys and vice versa. Would she really put everyone through that?" Thea's question was definitely warranted.

"Well, that's just it. She wouldn't…unless she had no choice. She'd sooner protect us rather than herself." Digg's words rang true throughout the space of the Lair. It was exactly something that Felicity would do.

"Ok, but how does Bruce Wayne tie into all of this?" Sara asked.

"I have no idea but it at least explains why he was at Felicity's funeral." Sara looked at him in confusion. "Felicity's funeral was held in Gotham on the Wayne estate to be more exact. So, whatever has been happening with Felicity Smoak in the last year…something tells me that Mr. Wayne is at the center of it all."

After some more information from Sara, she left leaving behind a thoroughly confused John Diggle and Thea Queen. A few moments later Oliver and Roy came traipsing down the stairs of the Foundry and into the view of the Lair, catching the shocked expressions on both Digg and Thea's faces.

"What's wrong?" asked Oliver, his voice not changing from the angry tone of the Arrow.

"Nothing," was their unified reply. Before they all went their separate ways for the night. Oliver stayed in the Lair, as was his custom since Felicity's "funeral" while Digg went home to Lyla and Thea went to the Queen mansion with Roy – he had moved in a couple weeks after he had revealed everything to her.

It took Digg a few days to come up with a plan with Thea's help. They needed to know more information before they revealed the shocking truth of Felicity still being alive to Oliver. They decided to keep it a secret until they knew more, in which Digg would be in charge of while Thea played distraction. Digg knew that Bruce Wayne was based mostly in Gotham City, which was just a short plane ride away. So, he would start his search there. His excuse to Oliver was that he had a family matter that needed to be attended to outside of town. He would be gone for a week at the most. Thea was not supposed to tell Oliver anything until Digg gave her the 'good to go' signal. But, that plan hit the fan when Digg was gone a bit longer than was expected. One week turned into two weeks and Oliver was becoming more and more suspicious of the two of them.

So, the cat flew out of the bag when Oliver cornered Thea one night in the Lair, with an overprotective Roy in the background trying to keep things on peaceful terms between both Queen siblings.

"Felicity is alive and Digg wanted to make sure that this was all real so he went to Gotham to ensure that it was. Not to mention the fact that if it is real then we are pretty sure she has shacked up with Bruce Wayne and boy was that a shocker." Thea's voice gradually grew higher and higher until it was nothing more than a squeak.

"Tell. Me. Everything. From. The. Beginning." Oliver growled out between clenched teeth. So, Thea told him while Roy's mouth opened and closed like a cod fish behind Oliver as he too absorbed everything that Thea was saying.

Digg had been following Felicity for the last two weeks. It had been a shock when Sara had claimed that his favorite IT girl was still alive, but it had been even more of a phenomenon when he'd first seen her in the flesh. Sara had been right, Felicity did look different – her hair was no longer its bright blond and her body language seemed more seductive…confident – not so much physical but mostly in her movements and her responses to the people and situations around her; she seemed more grounded and less naïve. It was both beautiful to see her so well grown into herself as well as heartbreaking to see the fun loving and innocent old-Felicity gone forever.

Now, there he was – satisfied with his proof, he just needed to let Felicity know what he was going to do – standing on the front door step of the Wayne Manor. During his two week stake out of one Felicity Smoak, Digg had made the surprising discovery that wherever she was…a certain Bruce Wayne was not far behind. One night he'd followed the two of them to Wayne Manor, which had been even more surprising. So, there he stood just having had knocked on one of the two large ornate steel doors seconds earlier, when they suddenly opened to reveal a tall older fellow with a ready and kind smile.

"Umm…hi. I'm looking for Felicity Smoak? Do you know where I might find her?" Digg tried to sound confident, but this whole situation was way out of his league.

"Of course, she's been expecting you," said the older man as he welcomed Digg into the bright luminous marble incased entryway. So, Felicity knew that he'd been tailing her. How? The old man led him through a few rooms until they arrived at the back of the house in what appeared to be a large ornate library. The old man tapped a few keys on the black shinning piano in the far right corner which caused the shelf to the right side of it to swing open.

_Ok_, Digg thought, _things just got really interesting_.

Digg was lead over to the new opening in the wall to discover that it was a small elevator shaft surrounded by shinning stainless steel. He followed the old man inside with some hesitation, worried what else he might find on this little trip. The doors closed and they were going down. The doors opened seconds later and he was put into a state of awe at what was revealed – a large cave with thick brick pillars encompassed with high-tech gadgetry, strange looking vehicles and one/two person small planes, computers, exercise matts, a salmon ladder posed over a small pool of water, all with a floor to ceiling waterfall exposed in the background. Digg kept following the old man as he glanced around at what could only be described as some sort of top secret Lair until they came to a stop in front of a long oval desk of computers. A young woman no older than 22/23 was sitting with her back to them – there was no mistake that it was Felicity.

"Mrs. Wayne, you friend had arrived," said the old man. Digg stopped short as his brain caught up with his words. Mrs. Wayne…Felicity was not just shacking up with Bruce Wayne, nor was she having some love affair with him. Felicity Smoak was now Felicity Wayne – she was married.

Felicity turned in her chair and faced them then, a small timid smile on her face. "Thank you, Alfred. Oh, would you mind getting diner started while I talk with John, here? They'll be home soon and you know how he gets hungry after a patrol."

"Of course, my dear. Would you like anything specific for the little one?" Digg frowned at Alfred's choice of words, but the old man's meaning was revealed as he watched Felicity hold her stomach and caress it with a gentle hand. HE remembered Carly doing the same thing when she had been pregnant with his nephew – that thought made John pause completely as he continued to watch Felicity. She was pregnant – not too far along considering she wasn't showing yet, but pregnant none the less.

"No, just nothing too rich, my stomach is still a little out of sorts," was Felicity's soft reply before the old man – Alfred – walked back to the elevator. Once he was gone and it was just the two of them, she turned to look at him and smiled. "Hello, John. I see Sara gave you my message."

"Message?" had Sara known about all of this?

"Well, sort of. I knew that once she had seen me that she'd come and tell you. Although, I was expecting more of you to come and pay me a visit."

"I…only me and Thea know about you still…we didn't want to tell Oliver unless we were certain." Digg couldn't believe it. She was alive and they were talking. It was a miracle.

"Understandable." She looked at him with such intensity, such a deep knowledge that he shivered under her gaze. It was like she was x-raying him and seeing into his soul. "I'm guessing you want some answers." It wasn't a question.

"That would be nice…" and so she talked…and like the old times they had shared with each other, he listened.

_**Eleven Months Earlier…**_

Felicity arrived in Gotham after her near death experience in New Orleans. She did not, however, tell her adopted family that she was back in town. She didn't want any of them to be drawn into any danger that she may attract, but she needed to come home none the less. It was good to be home, to be surrounded by the dark, gothic, and dreary city that was Gotham. It was beautiful in a Bronte Sister's Novel sort of way. The trees were bent and distorted by years of the powerful winds that swept through the city. It reminded her of a Tim Burton film. Half the buildings in the city were tall sky scrapers made of dark polished metal and clear shinning glass, while the other half were made to look like some gothic cathedral or some other haunted style. Gotham City was truly an enigma in itself.

She was home.

It was strange, because ever since she had been a part of Team Arrow as she liked to call them then, Starling City had felt like home. Or, more importantly, the Lair and Oliver had felt like home. That wasn't the case anymore.

She didn't have a job and she didn't feel like she was ever going to be able to do the traditional nine-to-five experience anymore. Not after her adventures with Green Arrow every single night for the last 18 months.

No…she needed a new life and a new identity, which was something she was working on. She'd already erased herself from the planet so getting a job as Felicity Smoak was going to be hard anyway. So, it was either get a job or put a target on her back telling her stalker to "come and get me." It was a tough decision, but in the end she went with the 'no job' idea and decided to do things Oliver's way – sort of.

The first month she was in Gotham she found herself a nice little flat in a nearly empty apartment complex in a rather safe part of Gotham. It was still close to the Narrows – which reminded her of the Glades of Starling City – but far enough away that she wouldn't have to worry about walking home late at night or having some low-life break into her new flat. The owner of the building had been desperate for more tenants and had given her a great deal for her flat. A better word for her flat would be penthouse. It was two stories high, the first floor of it being very open and bright. When you first came in you were met with an open kitchen and formal dining area, which then moved over to a huge living room area. The wall of the kitchen and dining area was brick painted over with a dark purple shade, which was offset by the wall of the living room being nothing but glass and windows. During the day it was lit up with the rare sunlight and white clouds of Gotham City's sky, and at night it was still alight with the white moonlight that flowed through the thin sheer fabric she had chosen for her wall of windows.

A large slate stone fireplace was against the far left wall while the right wall held the stairs leading up to her enormous bedroom and Library/office combo. It was just so…her – open and bright.

Time passed in steady movements and increments. One month became two months, which soon became three months. After a while everything around her fell into place in this small niche of the world she'd carved out for herself.

The job she had chosen had questionable legality involved in it, but she felt like she couldn't be judged. She spent her days hacking into various firms and corporations that took advantage of those beneath them and did everything she could to bring them down. Yes, Felicity Smoak had become a computer hacking thief.

The money that she could trace went back to its original owners, while the money that had no home went to two different places. Some went to herself – but only enough to keep her happy which wasn't much in the grand scheme of things – while anything else went to a charity by an anonymous benefactor.

It was amazing the damage and heroism that could be done with the power of a single computer!

She didn't feel bad for what she was doing; on the contrary she was quite proud of herself. She had learned early on in joining Team Arrow that the world wasn't black and white; instead it was shadowed in a cloak of grey. To every right there was a wrong, and to every wrong there was a right – with a few key exceptions, of course.

It was her fourth month in Gotham that things began to truly get interesting for Felicity. Her stalker had not come at her for quite some time and as such she had gotten cocky thinking she had lost him – at least she assumed it was a him; he was after all covered in some weird black ninja costume at the time – she decided to go out one night unarmed and unprepared. She escorted herself to the movie theatre where she watched a re-run of _Gone with the Wind_ on the big screen – a glorious sight to behold – with a bag of popcorn, some Diet Coke, and licorice. It was four hours later when the film ended at 1:30 in the morning and Felicity found herself walking home rather late.

She was running on autopilot and wasn't really paying attention when she was suddenly yanked into a dark alley – seriously; bad guys have no imagination – with scary-freaky-ninja-assassin-dude staring down at her with a sharp knife held against her throat. At that moment, Felicity was so focused in her head, thinking about all the self-defense moves Digg had showed her and how she'd be able to use them, that she barely realized it when scary-freaky-ninja-assassin-dude was thrown off of her and she was now staring at Gotham City's resident Vigilante himself.

Felicity watched in fascination as Batman battled against her attacker before said attacker ran off into the night. She figured that Batman would have run after scary-freaky-ninja-assassin-dude had she not been standing there in utter astonishment. It wasn't until Batman turned to look at her and with a growl to rival the Arrow asked, "Are you all right, Miss?"

Now, Felicity prided herself on being a very brave person in general, plus she figured she'd be used to this kind of thing – you know, Vigilantes running around everywhere – but what she was not used to was the adrenaline that had surged through her body with fear and anger at being attacked…again. Now that the danger had passed, her adrenaline rush was crashing as she felt her hands turn clammy, her stomach churn, and her head get light as the world around her began to spin.

The next thing she knew was that she was waking up in her flat and in her own bed, which meant one of two things. A) That is was all a dream – which was immediately debunked considering how sour she felt and the fact that she was still dressed in the clothes that she wore the night before; Or, B) That Batman had carried her home and tucked her into bed.

The vigilant fan-girl part of her wanted to jump up and down and squeal like a cheerleader, but the realistic part of her was simply freaking out like any other sane female would be after learning that Batman…BATMAN – aka The Dark Knight, aka The Caped Crusader of Gotham – had freaking tucked her into bed. She just wished she had been awake to witness such an epic moment in her life. The Arrow-paranoid-sidekick part of her decided that it was time to do some research on just _who_ had really saved her last night.

So, for the next week she had combed through articles, blogs, newspapers…anything that had to do with Batman/The Dark Knight/The Caped Crusader in order to see who her savior had been. At first it was quite hard and by the sixth day she was getting nowhere…until she had stumbled across a particular article about a certain Billionaire-Playboy by the name of Bruce Wayne burning his $200,000,000 mansion while in a drunken stupor on his 30th birthday which had been just two weeks before she had come back home (the same time that the Narrows had been mysteriously attacked by some toxic hallucinogen, but that had been taken care of). The article also mentioned how Mr. Wayne had returned after a seven year disappearance in which time he had been declared dead. Right next to said article, was another article on the Batman. She nearly burst out in hysterical laughter when she realized that the date of the first sighting of Batman was just a couple of months after Mr. Wayne's return to Gotham. That, in Felicity's eyes, was simply too big of a coincidence – after all, she was familiar with Billionaire-Vigilantes.

That same week she had decided to at least meet with her adoptive father, Jim Gordon, and assure him that everything was alright with her. The night that they had decided to meet was…interesting to say the least. They had agreed that they would meet at the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) Precinct where he worked and then they'd grab a late diner and talk. However, things did not work out according to their plans. Ever since Felicity had been doing research on the Batman she had also learned that the Gotham Police Department – especially the MCU – was very willing to work with the Batman and had even made a little calling card in order to get in contact with him. It was the coolest thing ever – the Bat Signal is what Felicity had started calling it!

So, there she was at 7:30PM sitting in a secluded corner in the busy MCU Precinct waiting for her father to finish something up on the roof. She was a bit miffed with herself for not realizing it sooner just what her dad was doing on the roof. It came to her quite suddenly and when she recalled that the famous Bat-signal was located on the roof of the MCU…well, she would later blame her actions on Oliver and Digg's vigilante influences.

She did her best to sneak from her little corner and to the stairs that would lead her to the roof. Once she made it there, she figured that things would be as easy as pie, but she had underestimated her father. Jim was not one to take chances and while his deputy's and detectives knew not to interrupt him while he was conversing with the Batman, others did not know that. So, he had placed his most trusted officer – a young man who showed a lot of promise and whom he trusted completely, considering the kid had once save his life by taking a bullet in the shoulder for him – to stand guard at the door that led to the roof, John Blake, the only other person allowed to meet with Batman other than Jim Gordon.

Felicity made her way up the thin stairwell and to the top floor and found the door leading to the roof only to be stopped by some little cop-boy. Well, not one to be left out of secret-vigilante-business, Felicity simply made a very loud distracting noise that easily led Mr. Blake away from his guard post which gave her the perfect opportunity to burst into whatever discussion her father was having with the Dark Knight himself. Them talking about her specifically was a bit of a shocker.

And that was where it all truly started. The Batman quickly became a regular in her life. He knew that she knew who he really was, but he didn't feel threatened by that. In fact he didn't feel threatened by her at all. Not like Oliver who spent half his time being exasperated with her ramblings and higher intelligence that he often treated her like a child, and the other half of his time dragging her along while still keeping her at arm's length. Mr. Wayne – the Batman – treated her like a complete equal, coming to her every now and then for some help. It wasn't until the threats on her life began to escalate that he finally brought her to his Secret Lair – which at the time was the bunker built underground in some warehouse near a Wayne Property over by the docks.

She knew she had many options – she could easily ask Oliver or Digg for help and protection, but she didn't want to. She still felt a sort of betrayal with Oliver and therefore did not completely trust him anymore. So, bit by bit, day by day, she grew to trust her own Dark Knight – he helped her figure out who was trying to kill her, helped her fake her death when the danger became too much, welcomed her into every facet of his life (including his night-time activities) and once again she had a purpose.

When it was time to give herself a new identity, she simply took her mother's maiden name of Kyle and took her middle name as her first name. Teddy still called her Felicity (or Fi) – yes, a certain Billionaire-Vigilante's own middle name was Theodore, so Felicity took to calling him Teddy. It was a sort of irony to her, calling the big bad Batman Teddy!

She hated her funeral – she had watched from afar as her once-upon-a-time-family mourned her passing – despite the fact that it was for her own safety as well as everyone else's. The worst was when Bruce Theodore Wayne gave Oliver her file on Moira and the woman's involvement in her "death". She had yelled and ranted at him for hours about it, how such information would truly break Oliver and that he couldn't handle more hurt and pain.

Teddy's only reply was that, "If I were Queen, and I cared for you as much as he claimed to, I'd want to know who was responsible for your demise. He deserves to know that truth, if nothing else." So, she had relented.

The first time Teddy had kissed her she had been partnered with him for six months, precisely four days after her so called funeral. She knew he wanted her, but unlike Oliver, he had not been afraid to act on it. The similarities between Oliver and Teddy were shocking – both having suffered years of pain and horror (Oliver on the island for five years and Teddy during the six years he spent with the League of Shadows). They had both found a purpose in saving their beloved City from the rich and criminal minds that too often took advantage of the lesser people. Yet, the differences were just as shocking. While they had both closed themselves off from the world around them, they had taken their sufferings and grown in completely different directions: Oliver, who was always stuck in the torment of his past, and Teddy forever trying to look to his future. Another was the fact that he had no qualms about teaching her how to fight and defend herself – in fact he was a very…thorough…_teacher_.

Felicity had always intended to tell Oliver and Digg the truth bout still being alive, but time seemed to get away from her. First, the six months she spent fight for her life, then the transition to her partnership with Teddy/Batman. Then the Joker had come to Gotham and terrorized everyone to the point of driving the entire City into a sort of madness. After those fateful events Felicity and Mr. Wayne had seen no reason to waste the time in courtship and decided to elope while the rest of Gotham were healing after the Joker's terror. After all, you never knew when the day would be your last day on earth – they both planned to spend what little time they had left…together.

Now, a year had passed – and everything had fallen into place on its own…

_**Present Time: Gotham City, Wayne Manor…**_

Digg was shocked at what Felicity had revealed to him in the last ten minutes. To say that he was surprised that Felicity had left one Vigilante to only fall in love and marry another one would be an understatement. At first he wasn't sure how he felt about this entire situation, but he got his answer when two vehicles – one that looked similar to a smaller version of a tank and the other a very high-tech motorcycle – came crashing through the waterfall barrier of the Batcave, as he recalled Felicity explain it to him and how she had loved the fact that she had redesigned it after Wayne Manor had been rebuilt. He watched intently as two figures emerged. One dressed in dark red and green while the other wore all black.

Now, Digg had always though Oliver had been intimidating in his own right, especially dressed as the Arrow, but as he looked upon the Dark Knight…Digg was very much intimidated. The power and strength that rolled off the Caped Crusader was an aweing experience. He watched from a few feet away as the bat-cowl was removed, as Felicity whipped what little black Greece paint was on Mr. Wayne's face, as they kissed passionately before Wayne finally pulled back and knelt down in front of Felicity and gave her still-slat stomach a gentle kiss. Dig had always thought that Felicity deserved the best, and it appeared that she had finally found the best…she was happy…and that was all that mattered to him.

Digg noticed that the other Vigilante – Blake? – did not stick around to watch the lovey-dovey scene and walked off to change before heading back up to the main house.

The couple's tender moment was interrupted when Alfred came back looking quite bashful, a shocked Roy Harper and Thea Queen following behind. It appeared that Oliver had arrived on the scene.

"_**Throughout life you will meet one person who is unlike any other. You could talk to this person for hours and never get bored, you could tell them things and they won't judge you. This person is your Soulmate, your best friend. Don't ever let them go."**_

It took Oliver three hours to arrive in Gotham undetected, with Roy and Thea hot on his heels. He had tracked Digg's cell phone and was only slightly surprised to learn that his old friend was staying at the newly built Wayne Manor. He rented a nice fast car and made his way to the lavish estate. It was a beautiful home with large stone walls, long-tall arched windows, and an array of wild flowers flanking the old cobblestone drive way. Whereas the Queen family home was made up of dark stone and dark wood that bulked out and into your personal space, making a person feel small and insignificant, the Wayne Manor held a certain elegance that made you feel welcome and home despite its grandeur. Over the years of lies and deceit, the Queen family manor had developed a certain form of coldness that made it feel more like a prison than a home.

Oliver practically jumped out of the car once he'd put it in park and bounded up the front steps to the large double doors of the Manor House. Thea and Roy stood behind him, just as anxious: for Roy it was the chance to see Felicity again in all her awkwardness, for Thea it was the chance to truly meet the woman who had changed Oliver so irrevocably.

The doors opened to present and elderly man with white hair and a simple outfit consisting of dark trousers, a white polo shirt, and a plane black cardigan. He reminded Oliver of his own long deceased grandfather.

"Ah, Mr. Queen I presume? We've been expecting you. Please, come in." Oliver entered the illustrious front room of the Wayne Manor. "You are looking for Ms. Smoak, are you not?" Oliver was a bit shocked by his words considering he'd originally come here to confront Digg and Wayne to see if they knew where Felicity was, but it appeared that she was already there to begin with. It left an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't quite understand. So, he simply nodded his head in answer. "Um…perhaps Ms. Queen and Mr. Harper should follow me. I think you'll be wanting some alone time with Ms. Smoak, am I correct." Oliver nodded mutely again as he watched Thea and Roy follow the old man.

He wasn't left waiting for log before Felicity made her entrance. She was beautiful…different, but still so bright and beautiful that it took his breath away.

"Hello, Oliver." Felicity had thought that when she would see Oliver again that all those powerful emotions that she has once felt for him would come rushing back to her, that they would drag her back down to the torrid life she had led a year ago. But…they didn't. She still loved Oliver, but she was no longer bound to that love. Her love for Teddy won out in the end, and she was grateful for the reprieve of complex emotions that Oliver had once left running wild inside her.

Felicity led Oliver to the library room; she sat on the stiff black stool of the large bulking black piano while he remained standing.

"Why?" Oliver got the word out on a chocked gasp. He felt hurt that she had been dead to him for so long and yet, she hadn't…she had been alive and well for the last year…without him.

Her explanation was quick, simple, and to the point – as if she had spent some time rehearsing her response to his question.

When she revealed the fact that she was now married and expecting, something inside Oliver broke. "Why…Why didn't you come back?!" His voice was a bit harsher than before. "We could've been…" _Together_.

She already knew the word – together – before he had even spoken it. She'd been expecting it. "Even if I had come back, Oliver do you really think we would have come together in the end? You were so hell bent at keeping me at arm's length that you never even gave us a real chance to even try to be happy. And…we would have been…there's no doubt in my mind that…we would have been truly happy together, but would you have let us be happy?"

"YES! When you DIED I…I regretted never telling you how I-I felt! How I drove you away! What I did with Sara?!" Oliver was chocking back the emotions that Felicity was bringing forth.

"Exactly, Oliver. It took my death for you to finally act. Why? Death was always a harsh truth in our lives considering what we did. So, why would you not want to cherish what little time we could've had together instead of pushing me away?" Felicity's voice remained the same – soft, delicate, and understanding.

Oliver did not have an answer for her question, because everything she was saying was so painfully true. "The life I lead…its...The things I had to do…to survive. I couldn't let you get sucked into my darkness."

"Oliver, your past, the things your were forced to do, I never cared about any of that. I never judged you for surviving. It was what you did in the present that mattered to me the most. You were so lost in your past, that you couldn't see a future for yourself. Even now you are so afraid of your own darkness that you can't see past it. I know that you don't particularly like what you've done, but Oliver…you weren't ready to love anyone. It's impossible to love other if you don't love yourself first. And I'm not sure you've learned how to live with yourself or your past to move on." Felicity stood up then and came to be in front of him. She cupped his face and kissed his cheeks and then his forehead. "I hope that one day…you can find that peace that you are so desperate for.

_It was you. You were my peace…and I let you go_. Those were Oliver's thoughts before they were interrupted by a bashful looking John Blake.

"Yes, Robin, what is it?" Felicity asked giving the younger man a kind smile.

"I have been order to inform you that if you are not down in the batcave in exactly five minutes then you will face the full wrath of the Dark Knight," said Blake looking thoroughly terrified.

"Well, you can inform Mr. Hero that I will be down when I see fit to do so," said Felicity teasingly with a role of her eyes.

"But, Fi…he used his Batman voice," said Blake pleadingly.

"Oh, hmm…in that case I'll be right down." Blake turned back to the open elevator doors that were open behind the piano. _How did I not notice that?_ Thought Oliver as he watched the younger man leave. Oliver looked on in utter confusion. Batman? Dark Knight? Unless…

Oliver followed the tug that Felicity gave his hand before she let go of him; he followed her into the elevators and down into…

Everything became clear to him. Here he had chased her off and into the arms of another vigilante. He watched as Felicity left his side and sauntered up to Wayne – Batman, his mind corrected him – and she was embraced with all the love in the world. Roy and Blake walked past him with Thea trailing behind them and back into the elevators. They were leaving. Digg came to stand next to him.

As Oliver continued to gaze at Felicity in the arms of Bruce Wayne – the Dark Knight – while Alfred catered to them, Digg's words from that fateful day a year ago echoed in his mind. "She's the one that constantly fought for you. But, by the time you get your head out of your ass, and realize that she's the girl for you…**she'll already be with the guy who figured it out**."

He felt Digg put a hand on his shoulder and say quietly to him, "The hardest thing is loving someone, and then having the courage to let them love you back." He was right. Oliver had pushed Felicity so far and hard that he'd eventually pushed her right out of his life.

**20 Years Later…**

Felicity was it for him. There was no Sara or Laurel to drag him back into the past, but there was no Felicity to lead him to his future either. She had found her happy ending with Wayne, and that was that. Oliver sat in his office as CEO of Queen Consolidated and wondered what would have happened had he learned his lesson earlier rather than later. The 'what if's' were endless, but they all revolved around Felicity.

There was no war to fight, no battle to win, no villains to chase – the Arrow was no more. Thea and Roy had settled down and done the whole "marriage and kids" package. Digg and Lyla had retired to Gotham. Moira was still living off shore somewhere. His life was empty and he had no one to blame but himself.

He liked to imagine that in some alternate universe that he had done things right. That maybe…just maybe he'd made the right choice – that he'd chosen his future over his past.

**Rant IV: Selfless, Brave, & True…**

The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning: I'd like to start this rant off with an explanation for why I ended things the way I did for this particular two-shot. I had two goals for this particular little story: first, I wanted to have Felicity regain the confidence that she had back in season one as well as give her the happy ending the deserves; second, I wanted to see Oliver grow into a true and honest man – to face the consequences of his actions. I've read so many fanfictions about 2x13/2x14 of Arrow that had Felicity bitching off about why Oliver doesn't treat her right but then she forgives him and they live happily ever after anyway. That is not realistic and that was something I was going for when it came to the voice and tone of this story. The title explains the story perfectly – it is the beginning of the end for Olicity as well as Felicity's role on Team Arrow, and the beginning of a new life for her with someone who does appreciate her. I hope I did this justice and I hope that you all were pleased with the happily-ever-after that Felicity got in the end; but I also hope that you all understand why I had Oliver end up alone. He pushed so many people away out of fear of hurting them, which that action alone hurt everyone, and he was left alone to deal with his pain only to realize that he was wrong in what he did. I'm sorry if this was all a bit on the emotional side of things, and I know that some of the points I had Felicity make were a bit harsh, but I so desperately wanted to write a story where Felicity finally takes charge of her life and Oliver would grow up and face the consequences of his actions and learn from them.

The Canary vs. Sara Lance: Now, I can honestly say that I love the Canary character that the writer's for this show have built. She is a strong feminist vigilante surrounded by males and yet she can hold her own. I can greatly respect her for that. However, the Sara Lance character is a completely different story. While I do not personally have any excuses when it comes to cheating/unfaithfulness and think that it is one of the most foulest forms of betrayal, I could somewhat understand why young Sara went with Oliver on the Gambit. It helped establish a story for both characters. Although, I can greatly express my bitter disappointment in both characters (Oliver & Sara) for sleeping with each other in episode 2x13. For Sara, she has just returned home and wants her sister's love and forgiveness for her past sins, and yet just hours after returning to Starling City she jumps in Oliver's pants. I don't quite understand how that is supposed to help Sara win any points with Laurel. The worst part of this situation is the fact that it is SO obvious to everyone (Isabel Rochev, Laurel Lance, Moira, Digg, Roy, ETC.) that Oliver and Felicity have strong feelings for each other. Skinny Love: they love each other, they show it, but they are both unwilling to act on it. I find it hard to believe that Sara does NOT know how Olicity feel about each other (as it seems to be suggested by her obtuse behavior between the two in 2x13 and 2x14). Felicity welcomed Sara in her life, the Lair, the Team, and as a possible friend – Sara re-paid that kindness by sleeping with Oliver?! Isn't there some unspoken rule between friends that you don't sleep with a guy the other one likes/loves?! Sara betrayed Laurel and now Felicity's trust. One last thing…Did anyone else feel like Sara's comment about Felicity "still being cute" to be a bit condescending and very much insulting? Particularly the moment Sara chose to say it. I felt like she was trying to reduce Felicity as nothing more than a pet or mascot for Team Arrow – something week and disposable. Finally, I understand that Sara might have had to kill in order to survive with Ivo and on the island, but what about her time with the League of Assassins? They are assassins – she was a hired killer, so I don't see how that is justified. After all, if you go by Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy – Batman made the choice NOT to kill even for the League. So, why did Sara?

A BIG Mistake: When it comes to Oliver's involvement in episode 2x13, I was very shocked at how out of order and random everything was. Oliver spent the better part of season one being obsessed with Laurel and claiming that he still loved her, but now that Sara is back his obsession has suddenly transferred to her. It seemed very much unplanned, in fact the entire episode of 2x13 seemed to be about nothing but shock factors for the audience. On top of Oliver obsession with the Lance sisters, there is the fact that he is very clearly leading Felicity along and yet, he is constantly parading his sexual partners right in her face – which is WRONG! By the end of 2x13 I felt like Oliver had done a 180 and reverted back to his playboy-overgrown-selfish-child-self, Ollie. Something that none of us want considering he was a major jerk before the island.

Wrong for Each Other: Why are Sara and Oliver wrong for each other? Well, it is like I said in my previous rants. Love is about balance: Light and Dark; Yin and Yang; male and female; good and evil…etc. Oliver's heart, mind, and soul are riddled with the darkness of his experiences and he desperately needs to balance that darkness out with some Light. Felicity is his light – she knows the real him, she not afraid of him, she will help him through anything. Sara is too much like Oliver. Any relationship they start will only end in tragedy or disaster. They will drown each other in their own darkness, forever stuck in the past and reliving the horrors that they faced, while never moving forward into the bright future they could both have. I strongly believed (until 2x13 and 2x14) that Oliver and Sara deserved to find someone who was their light. Oliver has Felicity and Sara should have the chance to find someone like Felicity for herself. However, due to their selfish acts in the last two episodes I now feel like Felicity is the only one who deserves to be happy and everyone else should just not exist, but that might be putting it a bit harshly (lol).

Laurel Lance: I have never been a fan of her character. I think she is an overly self-righteous person and no one can live up to her standards. However, when Sara and Oliver hopped into bed together in 2x13 I can honestly say I felt sorry for Laurel – a first for me. I mean, she does have a reason for being so messed up (although the whole woe-is-me act does get old really fast, especially with her) and a lot of it is due to Oliver and Sara. I was really disappointed that the writers made Laurel really week and asking for Sara "not to hate her" when Laurel kinda does have a good reason for being angry with both Sara and Oliver. I was hoping that Laurel would stay angry with her longer and then maybe Sara would see just how wrong she and Oliver's actions really were. Although, I was very proud of Oliver when he told Laurel that he was done "chasing after her." My only worry now is that when Sara/Canary dies…will Oliver go back to obsessing over Laurel?!

The Black Canary: In the comic books the original Canary was Dinah Lance, and when she died her daughter, Laurel Lance became the Black Canary. Obviously that did not happen on the show. Instead the writers planned the original Canary to be Sara Lance (who will eventually die according to the Arrow show writers and producers) and they plan for the Black Canary to be Laurel Lance. Am I the only one who can NOT see Laurel becoming Black Canary?! She just doesn't seem to be capable of growing like that as a character (especially considering when a recent poll of the Arrow show reveals that Laurel Lance is the least liked character of the entire show and 80% of the shows viewers want her kicked off because she is nothing but "dead weight"). Which I can understand; I feel like Sara and Laurel's characters are nothing more than distractions for the Oliver character. So, on a more realistic note I was thinking it would be cool if instead of making Laurel the Black Canary, the writers of the show should make their mother the Black Canary. It would make more send for Dinah Lance to become the Black Canary to honor her daughter, Sara's memory. Plus, it would sort of be closer to the original idea of the comic books – instead of passing the Canary from mother to daughter, it's passed from daughter to mother. Cool, right? Let me know what you all think of that idea.

Character Development: While I know the show focuses on Oliver's character, I feel like a lot of the other main characters have fallen through the cracks. Like Felicity – why are we only just now learning about her past and life outside of the Arrow? Or Digg? What happened between him and Lyla? Does Roy have a past, too? Felicity, Digg, and Roy are full time characters on the show now, and yet we know more about Sara's past (in just a handful of episode, too) then we do about them. Sara will die (either at the end of this season or the beginning of season three according to the writers – she will NOT become a fulltime character) so why are we learning so much about her when there are other more important characters to focus on. On top of everything, the hero of the show – Oliver/Arrow – is beginning to fall from grace…

Heroes Fall: I first became interested in the Arrow show of the Christmas holidays of 2013 (just a couple of months ago). I had it on Netflix and during my three week break I watched the entire first season. I loved how Oliver had grown from the playboy-ass-hat he was before the island to the confident-hero-man he was when he came home after five years. However, in season two I have been exposed to a whole new Oliver – or perhaps Oliver reverting back to playboy-Ollie. When I think about it, Oliver is a very selfish uncaring person! He spent the early part of season one flirting with Felicity to get her to help (all the while lying to her), and then she joins his team and he treats her gradually as this reusable pawn on his chessboard. In season two he shows more and more how he does NOT appreciate her, uses her, pushes her out of her comfort zone, all the while leading her on to make her believe that there is or could be "something more" between them and then repeatedly sleeping with random women until he gets his shit together! Am I the only one who sees anything wrong with this? Why must the hero always fall for the model-looking-girl-next door? What does the Arrow show want to portray? That naturally beautiful, independent, geeky, intelligent women are always second best? Why can't the hero fall for the geek for once?! The worst part about season two is that I feel like the writers are trying to make Felicity more and more dependent on Oliver. We saw Digg teaching her self-defense in season one…why did they stop?! Are they doing this so they can turn Felicity into the typical damsel in distress for the hero? If so then they do not have the same respect for her character that we Felicity fans do. I swear, with Oliver's stupid obsession with the Lance girl's, the writer's might as well just change the title of the show to _Saving the Lance Sisters_. The hero of the show (a superhero) is just that – supposed to be a hero! I'm sorry but Oliver is quickly falling from grace. You're supposed to be able to root for the Hero – right now I am so disappointed with Oliver that I'm almost tempted to root for Slade. It's one thing to have a hero struggle to be a hero, but he shouldn't become the monsters he hunts – that defeats the purpose of being a hero!

Serious Questions That Never Got Answered or Should Be Answered…

How did Felicity get out of the Lair at the end of season one?

Why is Oliver letting his mother run for Mayor (a very powerful political position) when he knows what a monster she is? He's pretty much just letting her get more power!

What is Felicity to Oliver? Is she just another Shado? Something for him to use for his own selfish needs but then throw away when he's done with her?

Will Slade get his ultimate revenge by making Oliver choose between two people? Who will the choice be between? Laurel/Felicity (cliché)? Laurel/Sara (God, I hope not)? Thea/Laurel/Sara/Felicity? Felicity/Digg? Or will Slade just try to take everyone Oliver loves and then let him live with the loss?

What is going on with Olicity? If the writers of the show wanted us to like Arrow with Canary then why did they create a character like Felicity for us to LOVE so much? The writers make us fall in love with Felicity only to have us repeatedly see her get used and hurt by those closest to her.

Can we get rid of the love triangles? They are just so cliché!

Why does Oliver keep preaching his feelings for one woman while he still sleeps around with other women? It makes no sense and just shows what a jerk he is, not a hero.

What happened to all the Olicity scenes that they had going on in the show? It's like the moment Oliver hooked up with Sara, Felicity is just kicked out of most of the scenes! Seriously, where is this show going?!

To be a real hero you must be selfless (Felicity), brave (Felicity), and true (honest…Felicity). It's one thing for someone to be flawed, but as humans we have the ability to learn from our mistakes, and I feel like Oliver is not learning or growing…instead he keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. That needs to change.

**A/N: I know I was a bit harsh to Oliver here, but I felt like he needed to lose everything before he truly realized what he truly had in the first place. He needed to hit rock bottom in order for him to grow and be the hero that Felicity always believed him to be – even if it meant loosing her.**

**Just so you all know, this will be my last update for this collection of one-shots. I want to take a break from Arrow and stick with reading the fanfiction instead of watching the show (I don't particularly happy about the type of person Oliver is becoming on the show and I'm so tired of seeing him with one of the Lance's girls – Laurel/Sara). If I feel inspired by more Olicity then I might start another one-shot collection, but this one is finished. However, I did start a much longer fanfiction story separate from this collection. It's an Arrow/The Dark Knight crossover called **_**The Brave and the Bold**_**.**

**It's about Felicity coming into her own and being a bit on the dark side (not too dark – I can NOT picture her going completely psycho) and becoming a Vigilante herself. Also, she hooks up with another Vigilante, making Oliver very jealous. Plus, Slade sort of takes an interest in her. Also, I have created a very elaborate back story for Felicity in **_**The Brave & the Bold**_**. Check it out and let me know what you think so far! As always, please read and review! Thank you so much for reading and your support. **


	13. Chapter 13

I have gotten quite a few reviews asking me to delve deeper into my Batman/Felicity two-shot. I can tell you right now that particular story is completely finished and I have no intentions of expanding it. However, I have started another fanfiction story. It is a Batman/Arrow crossover called, "The Brave & the Bold." So, for those of you who did enjoy my last two-shot with Batman involved in it, then I think you'd enjoy this new story of mine as well. Plus, in "The Brave & the Bold" I turn Felicity into her own vigilante…so if you'd all like to see a tough ass-kicking Felicity, check out…"The Brave & the Bold" on my profile. Thank you for your continued support!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Warning everyone! I wrote this while I was buzzed on a bottle of red wine, but don't worry, I edited it while completely sober. All I'm saying is don't blame me entirely for the ridiculousness of this particular one-shot. Please, read and review!**

**(2/02/2016) A/N: This one-shot has actually been written for months but then I forgot about it. I only just recently rediscovered it on my computer and, after going through it again, decided to post it. However, this doesn't mean I am back to writing Olicity works, and this "What if?" collection will remain labeled COMPLETE. It is always lovely to hear from my readers, but please be aware that am not taking any requests at this time. I have two other works in progress for **_**Bones**_** and **_**Charmed**_** and any NEW fanfic writing will be devoted to those stories (though, a hectic life seems to be interfering with that at present). With that said, please feel free to read and review. Thank you!**

_**Just Put a Ring on It Already**_

Why did purposing to the woman you love have to be so hard? And nerve wracking? And just flat out intimidating as hell? Because that's the kind of chaos that Oliver Queen deals with on a daily basis. You'd think he'd be used to it, but no. So, here he was thinking about how that night just a couple months ago he'd had everything planned out so perfectly and now he was struggling with the fact that he couldn't find the absolute perfect moment to purpose to one Felicity Smoak…again. Everything just seemed to constantly get in the way. First it was his sister, Thea and his ex, Laurel; then their return the Starling…no, Star City. Dhark showed up and caused trouble. He's still causing trouble as a matter of fact. Though, now they were all aware that he was Felicity's father, and boy, hadn't that been a revelation! The idea that someone so innocent and good as Felicity could come from someone so…well, _dark_ was just unfathomable. Lord knows the day that had come out, which was about three weeks ago, had been the day that Oliver had been seriously worried about Felicity's emotional state. He had never seen her cry so much before and he honestly hadn't known what to do. At first he'd just held her in his arms, then he tried distracting her with sex – lots of sex – plus he'd bought her some new tech-toys for the lair. The list went on and on about the things he'd tried to comfort her with, and it had worked…for a while. It wasn't until two weeks after the revelation of Dhark being Felicity's father came out that he'd begged the Arrow Team for some kind of help. In the end, the entire Team had come over to his and Felicity's loft: Digg and Roy had helped him make a nice homemade dinner, meanwhile Thea – who had a lot of experience with psychopathic fathers – and Laurel – who had experience with family drama to the nines – along with a motherly Lyla had all crowded into the master bedroom and spent the day holding, talking, and comforting Felicity in a way that Oliver hadn't thought of. He hadn't realized that she just needed a woman to comfort her and remind her that her father didn't _define_ her and that she had a brand new family already there for her.

As any outsider to the situation could see, things had complicated Oliver's plan when it came to purposing to Felicity. He just wanted that perfect moment, not because it mattered to him but, because Felicity was worth every perfect moment; she deserved perfect. So, there Oliver was, sitting in the new tech-ed-out Arrow Lair in one of the lone desk chairs around Felicity's computers moping around wondering if the universe had it out for him when who should walk in none other than Digg followed by Captain Lance, the latter being a bit weird for Oliver. He never thought what it would be like having Lance of all people wandering around his Arrow Lair.

"Hey man, what's up?" asked Digg as he spotted Oliver's overly brooding look as he glanced up to great him and Lance as the entered the Lair.

"Nothing," said Oliver despondently while he twirled something around with his fingers. A particular something that Digg quickly realized what looked to be a…

"What is that?" asked Lance as he too spotted the ring in Oliver's hand, his eyes widening in surprise. "Is that a…" The dark look that Oliver gave the pair of them silenced Lance's inquiry.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Digg as he took a seat. Lance hesitated in joining in but in the end his curiosity to whether or not Oliver would actual admit to the "engagement ring" he was fingering was just too much and he too took a seat across from Oliver next to Digg.

"What's there to talk about?" said Oliver hesitantly. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to have this conversation with Lance around. Digg, he could probably buck up the courage to ask for some advice, but Lance? Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. But as Lance took his seat across from him, Oliver quickly realized that he just might get their _helpful_ advice whether he liked it or not.

Digg gave a deep, exasperated sigh before he began speaking. "If that's an engagement ring like I think it is, and you undoubtedly plan on asking Felicity, my question is, why haven't you?"

"I just…haven't found the right…perfect moment," mumbled Oliver with a frustrated frown etched on his face.

This time it was Lance that heaved a heavy sigh. "Listen, every man is wasting time looking for the perfect moment to pop that question. The truth is there is no perfect moment in itself. The world is filled with imperfect moments," said Lance with a very serious look drawn across his face as he seemed to stare Oliver down. "We are the ones that have to make the moments perfect. You can't just spend your life waiting for them to just happen. Sometimes you need to give destiny a helping hand." With that, Lance got up and started to make his way out of the Lair before he stopped, "Oh, and Queen?" Oliver glanced at Lance while Digg just stared at the older man in wonder at his very sage advice. "The next time I see Ms. Smoak, she better have that ring on her finger." Oliver and Digg's brows both shot up at Lance's blatant blessing mixed threat. "Oh, could you let me know the next time Felicity's mom is in town?"

"Uh, yeah…why?" spluttered Oliver in confusion.

"Well, I didn't get the chance the ask Donna out for dinner the last time," said Lance matter-of-factly before he promptly left.

"Okay, now that that's all cleared up…whatever that was," said Digg. "Are you gonna go pop the question already?"

Oliver opened his mother to answer but before he could the Lair was intruded upon with Thea and Laurel's mutual entrances. Oliver did the only thing he could think of to ensure that his sister and ex wouldn't see the engagement ring and tossed it up in the air to Digg who caught it confusedly.

"What the hell am _I_ supposed to do with it?" Diggle whispered urgently but Oliver's only response was to wave his hands around like a lunatic in an attempt to tell him to "kindly shut up."

"Uh…you guys ok?" asked Thea with a look of worry plastered on her beautiful face at her brother's seemingly crazy antics.

"A-hum…yup," said Oliver, not realizing he was giving Thea, Laurel, and Digg a blatantly terrified, wide eyed look.

"Digg, why are you holding an engagement ring behind your back?" asked Laurel. Digg hadn't realized she was standing right behind him when he'd done that.

"Umm…" was Digg's eloquent reply. And if things couldn't get worse, none other than Felicity Smoak, followed by Roy Harper – who was like a little lost puppy nipping at her heels – entered their lair. If it were possible, Oliver's eyes grew even wider.

"What's with the funny faces?" asked Felicity as she dropped her things on her desk before turning to look at the people around her. Her family was strange to begin with, but this seemed to be taking it to a new level. She turned to look at Oliver and would've given him her customary kiss but he, too was acting weird. "Guys…"

"Alright, you know what? I have spent the better part of three years refusing to get involved with your guys'…tension. I'm not breaking that streak now," said Digg as he promptly tossed the ring back at Oliver who, due to a slight state of shock, didn't catch it which allowed said ring to plonk him right on the nose before falling to the ground. "Just but a goddamn ring on it already, man!" With those last loving departing words, Digg raced out of the lair – grabbing Roy by the scruff of his neck and dragging him out with him.

Meanwhile, Laurel and Thea were busy looking slack jawed at the ring that sat idly at Oliver's feet. Thea was the first to move as she picked up a rather familiar looking diamond. "Hey, is this…"

"Mom's," finished Oliver. "Well, the center diamond is, at least. I-I, um…had it reset with the emeralds from our great-grandmother's ring.

Thea just nodded her head as she gazed down at her mother's diamond that now sat surrounded by small delicate emeralds on a platinum band. When she looked up, she caught Laurel frowning and for a second she thought the older woman would say or do something in regards to the engagement ring that Oliver would never give her. But, surprisingly, the shock on Laurel's face slowly melted away until she wore a crooked smile. When Laurel finally looked up from 'undoubtedly-Felicity's' engagement ring, there seemed to be a look of piece and…acceptance written across her face.

Laurel stepped forward to gently take the ring from Thea's fingers and placed it back on the floor before giving Oliver a conspiratorial wink before she turned to Thea. She placed her hands on the younger woman's shoulders and turned her towards the lair's exit. "Why don't we give these two a moment to sort things out," said Laurel before she and Thea also disappeared from sight just as Digg and Roy had, leaving Felicity and Oliver to stare down at the ring that was once again glinting back up at them from its spot on the floor.

Oliver knelt to pick the ring up, and just like that he understood what Lance had meant about making perfect moments. Oliver looked up at Felicity from his kneeling position just as she tore her wide surprised gaze from the ring to look at him. A slight, hopeful smile graced her plum-painted lips. "There's something I want to ask you. Something I've wanted to ask you for…a long while now," said Oliver, and just like that…everything was _perfect_.


End file.
